Arab Envoys Contemplate Broad Realignment

By Nora Boustany

Tuesday, September 18, 2001; Page A14

Although the most head-spinning buzz in the diplomatic community yesterday was about the Swiss cautiously exploring an apparent change of heart in Tehran on behalf of Washington on certain issues of terrorism, the swift across-the-board realignments taking shape are what have been most stunning in the week since terrorists struck the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

Arab ambassadors interviewed Sunday and yesterday said their governments were unanimous in making the "hard yet unconditional choice" to throw their lot in with the United States, not just rhetorically, but also in practice -- notwithstanding regional issues further down the road.

In an interview yesterday, Pakistani Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi reiterated her government's support for Washington in its planned international campaign against those responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks, but she noted that there was a red line on the matter of involving Pakistani troops in operations outside the country's borders.

"Pakistan did not take its position because of a payback or a quid pro quo, but because of our opposition to terrorism," she said. "What Pakistan cannot do is have its forces participate in attacks outside its borders," Lodhi specified.

On the issue of possible overflights of Pakistan en route to Afghanistan, where chief terrorist suspect Osama bin Laden has been harbored by the country's Taliban rulers, she said, "We would be engaged in discussions about this kind of cooperation, because these are sensitive issues in open-ended plans that have yet to evolve."

There is considerable popular backing for the Taliban in Pakistan, whose military and intelligence services have extensively aided the government in Kabul.

The prolonged presence in Washington of Gen. Mahmood Ahmed, director general of Pakistan's intelligence agency, who was in town for a previously scheduled visit at the time of last week's bombings, has made it much easier for Lodhi to get Washington's message across to her government. Economic and other sanctions imposed on Pakistan because of nuclear testing and the overthrow of a democratic government by the country's current ruler have "frayed" the U.S.-Pakistani relationship, and tended to make cooperation in the crucial area of combating terrorism "sporadic and fitful," Lodhi said.

The legal cover provided by the United Nations has helped Pakistan stand united with the international community, but the inclusion and lead of Islamic nations is also necessary, she said. "We need the visibility of Islamic nations in this coalition," she added, pointing to the need for ameeting of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, which groups more than 50 Muslim countries.

'Hard Choices'

In contrast to the time of the Persian Gulf War, when hesitation and political hang-ups prevented decision-makers in Jordan, Yemen and the Palestinian leadership from joining the U.S.-led coalition against Iraq, there is a much deeper insight now into the need for "making hard choices," said Jordanian Ambassador Marwan Muasher, describing the resolve to forge ahead with support for the United States despite rumblings of discontent in some radical circles at home.

"There were situations where Arabs have looked the other way. They cannot do it anymore. Either they help or they are outcasts," Muasher said yesterday. The ambassador spoke at length during an Arab ambassadors' huddle Friday at the McLean residence of Saudi Ambassador Prince Bandar bin Sultan.

"Our answer is not in the military sphere," Muasher added. "I don't think the U.S. needs military support. It is going to involve covert cooperation on intelligence that does not involve the public. In some countries it has already been going on."

There has to be a foolproof mechanism, Muasher and others said, for putting an end to money laundering and stemming the easy flow of contributions from wealthy businessmen in the Persian Gulf region to nongovernmental organizations serving as fronts for radical groups.

"There are no reservations in the Arab world about the importance of this new era," said Palestine Liberation Organization representative Hassan Abdel Rahman, who also attended the Friday meeting. The pivotal meeting in McLean immediately followed a session between William J. Burns, assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern Affairs, with all Arab envoys, one in a series of get-togethers last week.

"While we acknowledge the realities, we have to get a feeling for where we fit in this international alliance, Abdel Rahman said, noting that Palestinian participation will make it "easier" for other Arab countries to take part despite the strong passions about the plight of Palestinians in the vein of the Arab body politic.

No More 'Carefree Travel'

In an interview Sunday, Egyptian Ambassador Nabil Fahmy said Egypt was going "to help openly."

However, he said, Egypt had been asking to deal with this issue for years and was rebuffed by the United States, Britain and others when Cairo demanded the extradition of majorterrorist figures such as Omar Abdel Rahman and Egypt's Islamic Jihad chief, Ayman Zawahiri. Rahman was involved in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and was convicted in 1995. Zawahiri is now known to be among bin Laden's close associates.

"Everybody is being asked to give up something, even the United States," Fahmy said. "Carefree travel as we have known it has to be given up."

"We have to be able to tell our people this is against terrorism and not against Arabs and Islam," he said.