The paper quoted a high-ranking AL official as saying that the organization has decided not to admit such a regime and even go so far as to freeze Iraq's membership.

"The charter of the AL regulates that its members must be independent Arab countries. Since the establishment of the organization, it has not changed the regulation," the official added that a new government when American troops controls Iraq will not be an independent regime.

He stressed that AL is opposed to overthrowing a regime by military interference. He confirmed that "the only way for AL to admit a new Iraqi government is to hold a national assembly under the supervision of the UN and elect a new regime."

The official believed that most AL member state, except one or two, will not admit a new Iraqi government under the control of Washington.

(Xinhua News Agency April 8, 2003)