DATE=11/23/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-242041
TITLE=BRITAIN / IRAQ (L)
BYLINE=LAURIE KASSMAN
DATELINE=LONDON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  BRITAIN'S FOREIGN OFFICE HAS GATHERED REPRESENTATIVES 
FROM 16 IRAQI OPPOSITION GROUPS FOR A MEETING TO SEE IF THEY CAN 
BETTER COORDINATE THEIR EFFORTS TO OUST IRAQI LEADER SADDAM 
HUSSEIN.  CORRESPONDENT LAURIE KASSMAN REPORTS THE DISSIDENTS 
ALSO WILL MEET WITH U-S OFFICIALS IN LONDON.

TEXT:  BRITAIN'S SECRETARY OF STATE FOR MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS, 
DEREK FATCHETT, ASKED THE IRAQI OPPOSITION GROUPS TO COME UP WITH
CONCRETE PROPOSALS TO SEE HOW BRITAIN CAN HELP.

                     ///  FATCHETT ACT  ///

         THERE WAS A STRONG CONSENSUS ON THE WAY FORWARD, A 
         RECOGNITION ON ALL PARTS THAT IT WAS INCONCEIVABLE TO 
         THINK THAT IRAQ WITHOUT SADDAM HUSSEIN WOULD  NOT  BE 
         BETTER THAN IT IS TODAY.  AND I URGED THEM TO WORK 
         TOGETHER ON GETTING ACROSS THE POLITICAL MESSAGES ABOUT 
         WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN IRAQ OVER THE PERIOD OF SADDAM 
         HUSSEIN'S RULE, AND ALSO TO GIVE A CLEAR VISION AS TO 
         WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE IF IRAQ IS WITHOUT 
         SADDAM HUSSEIN'S LEADERSHIP.

                        ///  END ACT  ///

MR. FATCHETT SHIES AWAY FROM COMMITMENTS OF FINANCIAL OR MILITARY
ASSISTANCE, BUT SAYS BRITISH HELP WILL DEPEND ON THE DISSIDENTS' 
PROGRAM OF ACTION.  

MR. FATCHETT AND IRAQI DISSIDENTS LIKE HAMID AL-BAYATI STRESS A 
NEW SENSE OF URGENCY FUELED BY SADDAM HUSSEIN'S LATEST 
CONFRONTATION WITH THE UNITED NATIONS.  MR. BAYATI REPRESENTS THE
SUPREME COUCIL OF ISLAMIC REVOLUTION IN IRAQ.

                      ///  BAYATI ACT  ///

         MR. FATCHETT EMPHASIZED THAT WE ARE IN A NEW STAGE AND 
         EVENTS ARE DEVELOPING QUICKLY, AND WE HAVE TO WORK 
         TOGETHER QUICKLY TO SEE A NEW IRAQ, A NEW GOVERNMENT IN 
         IRAQ SHORTLY, AND WE HOPE THAT WILL BE SOONER RATHER 
         THAN LATER.

                        ///  END ACT  ///

///  OPT  ///   THE MEETING IN LONDON WAS  NOT  THE FIRST.  THE 
FOREIGN OFFICE HAS ORGANIZED SIMILAR GATHERINGS DURING THE PAST 
TWO YEARS TO FIND COMMON GROUND AMONG THE DIFFERENT IRAQI 
OPPOSITION MOVEMENTS.   ///  END OPT  ///

NABIL MUSAWI OF THE IRAQI NATIONAL CONGRESS SAYS THE SHOW OF 
UNITY AMONG THE OFTEN-COMPETING KURDISH, SHIITE, AND SUNNI 
FACTIONS IS CRUCIAL TO THEIR PUSH TO OUST SADDAM HUSSEIN. 

                      ///  MUSAWI ACT  ///

         THE MAIN THRUST OF THE MEETING IS TO TRY TO DEMONSTRATE 
         TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD THE UNITY OF THE IRAQI OPPOSITION. 
         EVERY SINGLE PARTY IN THAT MEETING MADE A STATEMENT TO 
         THE EFFECT THAT WE ALL AGREE ON THE MAIN AGENDA FOR THE 
         FUTURE OF IRAQ.

                        ///  END ACT  ///

///  OPT  ///   MR. MUSAWI IS LOOKING FOR HELP TO REVITALIZE THE 
I-N-C AS THE UMBRELLA OPPOSITION GROUP, RELAUNCH PROPAGANDA RADIO
BROADCASTS INTO IRAQ, AND INTENSIFY A CAMPAIGN TO PUBLICIZE 
SADDAM HUSSEIN'S HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS.   ///  END OPT  ///

THE EXILED IRAQI DISSIDENTS ARE DUE TO MEET TUESDAY IN LONDON 
WITH THE U-S STATE DEPARTMENT'S TOP OFFICIAL FOR MIDDLE EAST 
AFFAIRS (MARTIN INDYK) .  THE U-S CONGRESS HAS ALREADY APPROVED 
NEARLY 100-MILLION DOLLARS TO HELP THE IRAQI OPPOSITION.  
(SIGNED)

NEB/LMK/JWH

23-Nov-98 11:32 AM EST (1632 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.