Brussels, March 19, IRNA -- A few hours before the anticipated        
outbreak of war in Iraq, members of the Foreign Affairs Committee of  
the European Parliament in Brussels Wednesday held a heated discussion
on the latest developments in the crisis, said an EP press release.   
    Belgian MEP Veronique De Keyser deplored "the messianic tone" of  
the Bush administration. "The United States won't stop at Iraq. How is
the domino effect to be prevented?", she asked.                       
    Philippe Morillon of France, just back from a visit to Morocco,   
explained that "the action against Iraq shocks, revolts and repels    
Arab public opinion".                                                 
    Greek MEP Efstratios Korakas denounced the US as "war criminals"  
and said the EU contained "imperialist" elements which were           
undermining it "from within".                                         
    A different view was heard from British MEP Charles Tannock who   
said that the ''real criminal was Saddam Hussein. ''                  
    He argued that intervention had become a necessity but            
nevertheless emphasised that the country's oil reserves should revert 
to the Iraqi people.                                                  
    Patricia Mckenna, a Greens MEP, from UK contended that the        
countries backing military action were "rogue states".                
    She proposed that Parliament should call for sanctions upon them, 
as in the case of Austria.                                            
    The EP is to hold special debate on Iraq Thursday morning.        
NK/JB                                                                 
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