Free Republic

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq has rejected a U.S. ultimatum for President Saddam Hussein to go into exile or face war, saying a decision by the United Nations to withdraw its staff from Iraq was an "unfortunate decision". Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri told reporters that "any child" in Iraq knew that U.S. President George W. Bush's ultimatum to Saddam was a non-starter. "The only option (to secure peace) is the departure of the warmonger number one in the world, the failing President Bush who made his country a joke," Sabri said on Monday.

Palestinians reject Sharon's plan for new state in unoccupied areas By Justin Huggler in Jerusalem 06 December 2002 Ariel Sharon gave details for the first time yesterday of the sort of Palestinian state he is prepared to agree to under a US peace plan – and the Palestinian leadership immediately rejected the proposals. The Israeli Prime Minister described a Palestinian state existing only in areas of the West Bank and Gaza Strip that were put under real or nominal Palestinian control as part of the Oslo peace process – that is, only in Palestinian population centres. The Palestinians want to...

Foreign Minister Shimon Peres rejected on Tuesday a proposal by recently resigned Palestinian Authority Planning Minister Nabil Shaath for a two-stage cease-fire. The two met following sessions with the Quartet - representatives of the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations. The Quartet members agreed on a three-stage "roadmap" to achieving peace in the Middle East. The Palestinian proposal reportedly called for an end to the killing of "civilians" in its first stage, to be followed later by a general cease-fire. Peres said that it was better if such a proposal was not made, as it meant...