Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – May 16, 2003

[Colin Powell], the US Secretary of State, has been going to different countries for a week to follow political movements and so far he has been to Syria, Jordan, Israel, Palestine, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Bulgaria and Germany.  In Palestine, he did not meet with [Yasser] Arafat, but he met with [Mahmoud Abbas] Abu Mazen.  France has officially protested America's propaganda and blackmail policy and threatened to file a complaint in the international court.
Yesterday, Israel wanted to take a group of Jews to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, but faced resistance from Muslims.  A reminder of [Ariel] Sharon's visit to Jerusalem, which started the second intifada, which is still going strong.
Paul Bremer, the American representative in Iraq, announced in his press interview yesterday that the first priority of the United States in Iraq is to create security and eradicate the remnants of the Baath Party, and for this purpose, a large number of police and military forces will come to Iraq from the United States and will inspect all the houses in Baghdad.  140,000 soldiers from America and England are now in Iraq, 50,000 of them are in Baghdad.  A number of British warplanes have left the area. 
The US Senate, in order to deal with the pressures inside England and especially within the Labor Party on [Tony] Blair, [Prime Minister] for obeying the US, approved to give Blair a sign of American gratitude;  For praising the cooperation with America.  Shia Friday imam of Baghdad demanded the supervision of Iraqi people's representatives over the country's property and Sunni imam demanded the implementation of Islamic laws.
I studied at home until the evening.  At five o'clock in the afternoon, I went to the summit hall for the opening of the 16th Unity Congress with the presence of personalities from the Islamic world and domestically.  After the introduction of Mr. [Mohammed Ali] Taskhiri, [President of the World Assembly of Religions], I gave a detailed speech on the universality of Islam and the globalization of the West, and I explained the foundations and solutions of the world in Islam and rejected the American way of doing things.   After the speech, I answered the questions of several journalists.  Several people from the embassies of Islamic countries came to greet. 
I returned home.  Mr. [Hossein] Mahdian, [Director of Farhang Islamic Publishing House] came. He gave a report on the performance of the publishing company.  He wanted me to participate in their meeting.