Vol. 3, No. 39, 24 November 2000
A Review of Developments in Iraq Prepared by the Regional
Specialists of RFE/RL's Newsline Team
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HEADLINES
* SADDAM STILL HIDING CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS
* DEFECTOR SAYS SADDAM KILLED SCORES OF MILITARY
OFFICERS
* KUWAIT REJECTS RUSSIAN CALL NOT TO ALLOW US FLIGHTS
* SAUDI FM, IVANOV DISCUSS IRAQ, REGIONAL ISSUES
* 'JERUSALEM DAY' PARADE HELD IN BAGHDAD
* PAKISTANI EXPORTS TO IRAQ INCREASE
* REGULAR BAGHDAD-AMMAN FLIGHTS TO RESUME
* AZIZ CALLS FOR REGIONAL 'ECONOMIC INTEGRATION'
* TARIQ AZIZ TO VISIT CHINA
* BULGARIAN DELEGATION DISCUSSES JOINT COOPERATION
* BARZANI TOURS ARAB WORLD
* KDP OFFICIAL ON IMPROVED KDP-PUK RELATIONS
* BOMB ATTACK IN IRBIL
* SECOND TURKMEN CONVENTION HELD IN IRBIL
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SADDAM STILL HIDING CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS.
London's "Daily Telegraph" on 20 November said that
Saddam Husseyn's stockpile of weapons of mass destruction is
hidden in schools and hospitals throughout Iraq. Citing
Western intelligence reports, the paper says that Baghdad has
at least 610 tons of precursor chemicals for the production
of the deadly nerve agent VX. And Peter Hain of the British
Foreign Office told the "Times" of London that "we have good
reason to suspect that Iraq is hiding chemical, biological,
and weapons of mass destruction in a range of locations."
These articles appear at a time of intense diplomatic
and other activity promoting the lifting of the international
sanctions regime on Iraq. Among the countries which have
promised to do so if certain conditions are met is Great
Britain. Indeed, Hain, in the same "Times" article said: "I
want to see the sanctions suspended so that everything can
move forward. Iraq can move forward, the region can move
forward. But the only vehicle for that is UN Security Council
Resolution 1284, which in return for allowing inspectors back
would trigger in months, literally within 180 days, sanctions
suspension."
Hain added that he has been meeting with a number of
"key" foreign ministers in the region who have been seeking a
dialogue with Iraqi Deputy Premier Tariq Aziz to determine
how Resolution 1284 can be implemented. He added that "I am
hopeful that a way can be found for Iraq's dignity to be
respected, while allowing the arms inspectors in, then we
could see sanctions suspended within six months."
The "Times" article suggested that Hain also had
"hinted" that if Iraq began to cooperate there could be
movement on the question of the no-fly zones. (David Nissman)
DEFECTOR SAYS SADDAM KILLED SCORES OF MILITARY OFFICERS.
A top-level defector from Iraq has told British
intelligence that Saddam Husseyn has directed the killing of
scores of military officers over the last two years, London's
"Observer" reported on 19 November. In February 1999, he
said, Saddam ordered the execution of 38 officers, including
General Kamil Al-Dulaymi, who was suspected of planning a
coup.
The defector said that orders for the execution of those
suspected of opposing the regime are always signed by an
immediate member of Saddam's family or a close associate. The
signatory can order whether or not the victim should be
tortured before being executed. Both of Saddam's sons and
three of Saddam's half-brothers have signed such orders, the
defector added.
In addition to executions, the defector described a
massive new prison construction program. One of these new
prisons, Sijn Al-Tarbut in Baghdad, known as "the casket," is
located underground. And prisoners there, he said, are kept
on a liquid diet. Another prison has been built on the site
of an old factory in Rashdiyah on the outskirts of Baghdad,
and is known to hold hundreds of prisoners. Additionally,
other cells have been opened by Husseyn's son Udayy the
"Olympic Garage." (David Nissman)
KUWAIT REJECTS RUSSIAN CALL NOT TO ALLOW U.S. FLIGHTS.
U.S. Secretary of Defense William Cohen said on 19
November that Kuwait had rejected a proposal from Russian
Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov that it prohibit the United
States from using its airbases to enforce the Iraqi no-fly
zones and allow Russia to bring it together with Iraq,
according to a UPI report on 20 November. He also said that
the only way for Iraq to get rid of the sanctions was to
allow "full and unfettered" weapons inspections.
While in Kuwait, Cohen made no direct mention of the
Russian proposal, but he did say that efforts are being
exerted to normalize the conditions and spread peace and
security in the region. In response to a question concerning
Russia's initiative regarding the security system that aims
at reducing the tension in the region, the defense secretary
said that any regional security system must be under the
umbrella of the UN due to its experience in this field, KUNA
reported on 19 November.
Russia sees its proposal as a "confidence-building
measure," Cohen noted but immediately added that "I think the
confidence building measure for Saddam Husseyn is to stop
flying in the no-fly zones, to stop firing at our pilots, and
to demonstrate that he is ready to comply with the UN
Security Council measures." (David Nissman)
SAUDI FOREIGN MINISTER, IVANOV DISCUSS IRAQ AND REGIONAL
ISSUES.
Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov and Saudi Foreign
Minister Prince Saud Al-Faysal discussed relations between
Saudi Arabia and Moscow and ways to improve them, the
situation in the region, and other issues of mutual concern
in Riyadh on 19 November, according to Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia TV1 on 19 November.
With regard to Iraq, the prince said "the two countries
used to have strong relations with Iraq. Therefore, both of
us are in agreement on the need to maintain Iraq's national
and territorial integrity and the need to lift the plight of
the Iraqi people who suffered a lot in the past decade, of
course within the Framework of the Security Council
resolutions." (David Nissman)
'JERUSALEM DAY' PARADE HELD IN BAGHDAD.
Baghdad Television announced on 20 November that a
"Grand Jerusalem Parade" had taken place in the Iraqi
capital. Marchers were those who had volunteered to fight on
the side of the Palestinians. It was attended by President
Saddam Husseyn, Vice President Taha Yasin Ramadan, and Abd-
Al-Majid Al-Rafi'i, head of the pro-Iraq Ba'th organization
in Lebanon. "Commander" of the parade was Ali Hasan Al-Majid,
member of the Iraq Command of the Arab Socialist Ba'th Party.
The parade began when Saddam fires a shot from a rifle in the
air. (David Nissman)
PAKISTANI EXPORTS TO IRAQ INCREASE.
According to Pakistan Export Promotion Bureau chairman
Tariq Ikram, Pakistan has received $102.9 million worth of
export tenders from Iraq, "Asia Pulse" reported. Ikram said
his efforts to increase trade volume with Iraq had paid off
and that Pakistan's exports to the country had risen to
between $15-18 million from between $5-6 million. (David
Nissman)
REGULAR BAGHDAD-AMMAN FLIGHTS TO RESUME.
A senior Iraqi official told AFP on 20 November that
Iraqi Airways and Royal Jordanian Airlines "will resume air
links in early December." Initially, there will be three
flights a week.
But officially, the 10-year embargo on commercial air
services to and from Iraq remains in place despite dozens of
flights to Saddam International Airport, which reopened in
August. Roughly 60 planes have landed in Baghdad since then.
(David Nissman)
AZIZ CALLS FOR REGIONAL 'ECONOMIC INTEGRATION.'
In a 20 November interview carried by Beirut's "Al-
Safir," Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz has called for
economic integration between Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and
Jordan. He argued that current conditions are conducive to
this, because the embargo against Iraq has been effectively
broken.
With regard to Lebanon, Aziz said that it is natural for
Lebanon "the fraternal and almost neighboring country to
follow the path of economic integration with Iraq, especially
since Iraq needs goods and services provided by Lebanon. At
the same time, Lebanon needs the oil which Iraq has." He
pointed out the improvement in Iraqi-Syrian relations
facilitate cooperation between Iraq and Lebanon. Regarding
more geopolitical issues, Aziz said that Iraq has no
political ambitions regarding Lebanon, something that he
suggested opens the way for better relations between the two.
He also said that there is "great improvement in
relations between Syria and Iraq, and that it is only a
matter of days before pumping oil via the Iraqi pipeline
across Syria is resumed. He noted that trade with Syria could
be increased to the highest level. And as far as Jordan is
concerned, Iraq extends to Jordan oil assistance worth
hundreds of millions of dollars. Following the visit of the
Jordanian premier to Iraq, the two countries signed a trade
agreement which allows Jordan to export goods worth $1
billion. (David Nissman
AZIZ TO VISIT CHINA.
Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz will visit China
on 26 November as the guest of the Chinese government,
Foreign Ministry spokesman Sun Yuxi said, according to the
"Peoples Daily" of 21 November. (David Nissman)
BULGARIAN DELEGATION DISCUSSES JOINT COOPERATION.
A Bulgarian delegation, headed by former Bulgarian Prime
Minister Zhen Videnov, held a series of talks with Iraqi
officials in Baghdad on bilateral cooperation between the two
countries, Baghdad Radio reported on 20 November.
Meanwhile, Mahir Hasan, a businessman and member of the
Iraqi community in Bulgaria, told INA that some members of
the Iraqi community and Bulgaria are seeking to operate
another flight to Baghdad next month to express their
solidarity with Iraq and to defy the air embargo imposed
against Iraq.
The flight, arranged by the Iraq Society in Bulgaria,
carried 97 people including politicians, medical workers, and
members of Bulgaria's Iraqi community. Because of Videnov's
presence on the flight deputies of the ruling United
Democratic Forces who were to join the delegation refused to
take part, BTA reported on 21 November. But when the plane
departed, it was seen off by several high-ranking government
and Ba'th Party officials. (David Nissman)
BARZANI TOURS ARAB WORLD.
Mas'ud Barzani, leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party
(KDP), met with Colonel Mu'ammar Qadhafi and other Libyan
officials on 16 November, according to a report by Kurdistan
Satellite TV from Salah Al-Din on 17 November. Barzani's trip
to Libya is within the framework of a tour of several Arab
countries. On 20 November, Barzani was in Damascus to meet
Abdallah Al-Ahmar, assistant secretary-general of the Arab
Socialist Ba'th Party. Other members of the Barzani
delegation included members of the KDP political bureau
Muhsin Dazabi, Azad Barwari, Hushyar Zibari, and Masrur
Mas'ud Barzani, Syrian Arab Republic Radio reported on 21
November. (David Nissman)
KDP OFFICIAL ON IMPROVED KDP-PUK RELATIONS.
Sami Abdurrahman, the Kurdistan Democratic Party deputy
prime minister, told AFP on 20 November that "there is a
considerable improvement in our relations with the Patriotic
Union of Kurdistan (PUK)," according to AFP of 20 November.
But despite this improvement in ties between the two,
Abdurrahman said that "important problems remain." And as a
result, "there is still a long way to go to set up a joint
administration."
Joint elections were held in 1992, which resulted in a
50-50 split between the parties. As a consequence, the
Kurdish parliament has been unable to function. According to
Abdurrahman, elections could be held in six months. AFP
pointed out that a key factor in the KDP-PUK dispute are the
tax revenues, which the KDP collects through its control of
the Khabur post, a major stopping point in Turkish-Iraqi
trade.
With regard to the recent bombing attack in Irbil, which
killed several people, he maintained that "peace will
prevail" and the stability of the area was undisturbed.
Abdurrahman stressed the need to keep the Western security
zone (no-fly zone). And concerning the ongoing talks with
Baghdad, he pointed out that the Kurds are in regular contact
with Baghdad "on everyday matters" but not on "political
matters." (David Nissman)
BOMB ATTACK IN IRBIL.
AFP reported on 16 November that six people were killed
and 17 others wounded in a bomb attack on an Irbil cafe in
KDP-controlled Iraqi Kurdistan. Safin Dizayi, the Ankara
representative of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), said
that "we don't know yet who is behind this attack that came
as a shock for us. It aims to destabilize the situation in
the region where there were no such attacks for several
years." He added that a serious investigation has been
launched into the incident.
The antagonism between the KDP and the Patriotic Union
of Kurdistan (PUK), which controls that part of Iraqi
Kurdistan not under the control of the KDP, has abated
somewhat in recent years. However, the region is also used by
the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) as a jumping board for
attacking Turkish territory. As a result, the Turkish army
makes frequent incursions into the area.
Turkey's military maintains that some 5,000 PKK
militants crossed over into northern Iraq since last
September when the PKK said it was laying down its arms and
withdrawing from Turkey to seek a peaceful solution to the
Kurdish conflict in Turkey. (David Nissman)
SECOND TURKMEN CONVENTION TO BE HELD IN IRBIL.
The Second Iraqi Turkmen Convention began on 20 November
in northern Iraq in Irbil, according to the "Turkish Daily
News." It was expected to call on the Iraqi government to end
its Arabization policy, which has hit the Turkmen living
outside of the protected area. The area south of the northern
no-fly zone is under Baghdad control, and Turkmen living
there bear the full brunt of the Arabization policy.
But on 21 November, the "Turkish Daily News" reported
that representatives of Turkmen organizations called on
Turkey to more actively participate in efforts to find
solutions to their problems. Iraq Turkmen Front Deputy
Chairman Mustafa Kemal Yaycili told a Turkish delegation at
the convention that "it is as if we are living in captivity."
It is not only Baghdad which is a problem for the
Turkmen. The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) also keeps the
Turkmen community under constant pressure and threat in
northern Iraq. Yaycili said "we ask Turkey to make the KDP
come to the negotiation table with us." (David Nissman)
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