Dear Friend,

We are writing to ask for your support for an initiative launched from an extremely important conference that took place in Cairo on 18th-19th December 2002.

The conference launched the International Campaign Against US Aggression on Iraq and was attended by over 400 delegates from the Arab world and the international peace movement. It proceedings were given extensive coverage by the press and TV in the Middle East.

The conference issued the Cairo Declaration against globalisation and war (a copy is included at the bottom of this message). We would like you to add your name to this declaration.

A co-ordinating committee has been established headed by former President of Algeria Ahmed Ben Bella and two vice presidents, John Rees of the Stop the War Coalition in Britian and Elias Rashmawi from the US peace movement ANSWER.

The Egyptian government attempted to ban the conference but political pressure forced it to allow the meeting to go ahead. This in itself is a considerable political triumph since the conference did not have the support of any government in the region. The conference was followed by a 1, 000 strong demonstration in central Cairo, again widely reported in the Arab press.

The International Campaign is now attempting to organise solidarity actions with the anti-war demonstrations in the US on 18th January 2003. It is also mobilising for solidarity actions with the European demonstrations planned for 15 February as agreed at the European Social Forum in Florence last November. These now involve the peace movements of 11 European countries.

This is an important initiative, the first to link a representative voice from the Arab world with the wider anti-war and anti-globalisation movement. Please add your name to the Cairo Declaration by replying directly to

 office@stopwar.org.uk

giving your name, position and contact details.

Please ask friends and colleagues to add their names.

George Bush and Tony Blair are now moving swiftly towards a war on Iraq. We too must move with all possible speed to create a global anti-war movement. Please lend us your support.

Yours,

George Galloway MP

John Rees, vice-president, International Campaign Against US Aggression on Iraq.

Shirley Franklin,
Senior Lecturer,
School of Lifelong Learning and Education,
Middlesex University,
Trent Park,
London.
N14 4YZ.
Tel no: 020 7700 4975