LUXEMBOURG, Jan 13: UN Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar has left Baghdad after talks with Iraq on averting a Gulf war and will meet European Community representatives in Paris, reports Reuter.
Luxembourg, which holds the rotating EC presidency, is sending a delegation headed by Foreign Minister Jacques Poos to Paris for the meeting on Sunday night or early Monday.
A Luxembourg government spokesman said Perez de
French President Francois Mitterrand or Foreign Minister Roland Dumas.
Dumas and Poos arc to attend an emergency meeting of EC Foreign Ministers in Brussels at 11 A.M. (1000 GMT) in Brussels on Monday.
An earlier AP report said The UN Secretary-General met with President Saddam Hussein on Sunday evening in a final effort to avert a Gulf war before Tuesday's UN deadline for Iraq to leave Kuwait.
The Secretary-General, who waited most of Sunday afternoon for the meeting, will go straight to the airport at the conclusion of the talks, said the official, who did not divulge Perez de Cuellar's destination.
Earlier, the UN chief had met with Yasser Arafat. He told the PLO leader of proposals he will make to Saddam, according to Arab diplomata, who spoke on condition of anonymity
In another development, an Arab diplomates, who also spoke on condition of anonymity said Arafat had got a call from Italian Foreign Minister Gianni De Michells. De Michells Is asking Perez de Cuellar to pave the way for a visit by a European Community delegation before the January 15 deadline.
Arafat said after their meeting that the UN chief had a good chance of resolving the Gulf crisis peacefully.
But he added that by ending military action in the Gulf, the US Congress on Saturday may haw undermined Parez De Cuffers efforts.
The UN chief also met earlier with former Nicaraguan leader Daniel Ortega. who had an audience Saturday night with Saddam.
But the Reuter news agency hinted the chances for peace were slim.
The UN chief has little room to maneuver, hemmed In by a Security Council resolution demanding Iraq quit Kuwait and, according to a Soviet expert, by Saddam's view of the world.
Baghdad's official newspapers ignored the peace mission in a capital being rapidly abandoned by the few remaining diplomats, editorials spoke only of war and Inevitable Iraqi victory.
Bush asks pullout
In Washington President George Bush, strengthened by a historic congressional vote authorising him to wage war in the Gulf, called on Iraq to begin a rapid, massive withdrawal from Kuwait before Tuesday's deadline for a pullout.
Mr. Bush, who interrupted a weekend at the Camp David presidential retreat to hold a press conference following the congressional vote, called the legislature's granting of the authority to use force the best shot for peace
The US Senate approved 52-47. a resolution empowering Bush to "use United Slates armed forces" to expel Iraq from Kuwait. The House of Representatives, the lower chamber, approved it 250-183 less than an hour later.
Fahd—first roll
Meantime, Iraq said today the head of Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd would be the first to roll if war broke out In the Gulf. An article in Baghdad's Al-Thawra dally, an organisation of President Saddam Hussein's ruling Ba’ath party, said: "We must say that the head of agent and traitors will be torn apart and flying a punishment for their disgraceful acts."
"At the forefront will be the head of the traitor of the two (Muslim) holy shrines (Fahd) who has become s symbol of moral and political decline."
Iraq says Fahd disgraced Islam and violated the sanctity of the Makkah and Madinah shrines when he Invited non-Musllm Western forces* to the kingdom to defend it against possible Iraqi attacks.
Israel to retaliate
In Jerusalem, two cabinet ministers told the visiting US official. Israel would reject any U.S. request not to retaliate In case of an Iraqi attack.