The United States on Tuesday urged the Arab League to recognize the US-appointed Iraqi Governing Council despite the 22-member organization declined to do so.

"We believe that all Arab nations should welcome the Governing Council and provide expressions of support," State Department deputy spokesman Philip Reeker said at a regular news briefing.

"We think its important that this structure be given support from the region as well as the international community more broadly, as the United Nations has," Reeker said.

He said US Secretary of State Colin Powell called Arab League Secretary General Amr Mussa on Sunday and had spoken with some Arab leaders to ask them to show their support to the Iraqi Governing Council.
  
(Xinhua News Agency August 6, 2003)