Iraqi President Saddam Hussein convened meetings of the Iraqi leadership to review the international situation and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the official INA news agency reported.
A meeting of the decision-making Revolutionary Command Council and ruling Baath party reviewed "the political situation in the international arena and the region, as well as developments pertaining to the Palestinian issue," INA reported.
The Iraqi leadership "decided to award the Al-Quds (Jerusalem) medal to volunteers for responding to the call of national duty and for their devotion" to the Palestinian cause, it said.
A second meeting brought together RCC Vice Chairman Ezzat Ibrahim, Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan, Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz and RCC member Ali Hassan al-Majid, INA said, without giving details of their discussions.
Germany
Meanwhile, in Berlin, Germany's chief government spokesman Uwe-Karsten Heye told journalists, "The federal government cannot imagine that the United States government has an interest in engaging in an adventure" in Iraq.
Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder had pledged "undivided support" for the fight against terrorism a week after the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, saying, "Germany is ready for risks, including military ones, but not for adventures."
He had also insisted on the right of the allies to be informed and consulted about US plans.
The German government spokesman was quoted by AFP it would be "useful" if UN observers could enter Iraq again to check for weapons of mass destruction.
German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer last week stridently attacked Bush's "axis of evil" statements, telling a newspaper that such a concept "gets us nowhere." (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
