Vol. 3, No. 43, 22 December 2000
A Review of Developments in Iraq Prepared by the Regional
Specialists of RFE/RL's Newsline Team
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NOTE TO READERS: The next Iraq Report will be published 4
January, 2001.
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HEADLINES
* EYROPEANS SAID TO URGE IRAQ TO LAUNCH PR CAMPAIGN IN
US
* IS BAGHDAD BEING FORCED TO JUSTIFY MILITARY BURDEN?
* TURKISH INCURSION INTO IRAQ WORSENS PKK, PUK FEUD
* RUSSIA, IRAQ DISCUSS MARITIME COOPERATION
* SYRIA, IRAQ REPORTEDLY AT ODDS OVER PIPELINE
* BAGHDAD, UKRAINE MOVE TO EXPAND TIES
* TRANSFORMING PLAYSTATIONS INTO SUPERCOMPUTERS?
* JORDANIAN TRADE WITH IRAQ JUMPS 60 PERCENT
* FIRST ARMENIAN PLANE LANDS IN BAGHDAD
* IRAQI TRADE MINISTER IN MALAYSIA, VIETNAM
* AZIZ RECEIVES SPANISH DELEGATION
* TURKISH PARLIAMENT EXTENDS 'NORTHERN WATCH'
* 'UDAY REELECTED OLYMPIC COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN
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EUROPEANS SAID TO URGE IRAQ TO LAUNCH PR CAMPAIGN IN US.
London's pro-Libyan Arabic language newspaper "Al-Arab
Al-Alamiyah" reported on 20 December "European diplomats say
that Iraq needs an active, effective, and influential 'public
relations campaign' inside the United States if it wants to
see an end to the sanctions imposed on it for the last ten
years." The paper adds that these same diplomats have urged
Iraq to temper its official statements. (David Nissman)
IS BAGHDAD BEING FORCED TO JUSTIFY MILITARY BURDEN?
Baghdad's "Al-'Iraq" on 12 December featured interviews
with Minister of Military Industrialization 'Abd-Al-Tawwab
Al-Mullah Huwaysh and Minister of Industry and Minerals Adnan
'Abd-Al-Majid concerning the contribution their ministries
make to the country's agricultural sector.
Huwaysh said that his ministry has been manufacturing
equipment, tools and spare parts for seeds purification
plants as well as for corn processing plants. It has also
been producing fertilizers and insecticides. And the Tariq
Public Company has been manufacturing similar products for
the use of households and hospitals.
As for the Ministry of Industry and Minerals, 'Abd-Al-
Majid pointed out that they have been manufacturing water
pumps of various sizes, plow tools, excavators, dump trucks
and tractors. They have also been concentrating on irrigation
systems, primarily dripping irrigation systems and other
forms of systems. Progress has been made in the manufacture
of axial irrigation systems, which increase the area
irrigated significantly. Installation is followed up by
technical teams.
Such reports may reflect regime concerns that the Iraqi
population is increasingly unhappy with the military burden
Saddam Husseyn's policies impose on them. (David Nissman)
TURKISH INCURSION INTO IRAQ WORSENS PKK, PUK FEUD.
Turkey launched a major incursion into Iraqi Kurdish on
3 December in order to back the PUK against the PKK,
according to the 19 December "Ozgur Politika", a pro-PKK
journal. This outlet also claimed the invasion force involves
hundreds of troops as well as heavy weapons and has passed
through the Habur Gate. And it says that the Turkish army has
more units in reserve at Silopi.
PKK leaders say that 43 of their fighters have already
fallen, putting PUK losses in the "hundreds." But PUK sources
suggested that the PKK was making outrageous claims which
"distort realities and mislead Kurdish public opinion,"
according to KurdSat from Al-Sulaymaniyah on 17 December.
A PKK spokesman meanwhile asserted on MEDYA-TV that
Turkey's move was part of a broader move against the Kurds:
"All the powers in the region," he said, "have made military
preparations and are waiting for an opportunity. The
international conspiracy against our party will thus be
united by the intervention aimed at the region. While aiming
on the one hand to clash with Iraq and remake it, there are
attempts on the other hand to liquidate our party. Now, these
two aims are being united," according to the "Kurdish
Observer" of 20 December. (David Nissman)
SYRIA, IRAQ REPORTEDLY AT ODDS OVER PIPELINE.
An "informed Syria source" told London's "Al-Sharq Al-
Awsat" on 14 December that there are disagreements between
Syria and Iraq on how the oil pipeline between the two
countries should operate. This source said that the pipeline
remains at the experimental stage and denied reports that
Syria was being supplied with Iraqi crude oil through the
pipeline. But the "Middle East Economic Survey" reported that
as of 20 November, Syria had been receiving 150.000 barrels a
day through the pipeline (see RFERL Iraq Report, 15 December
2000). (David Nissman)
RUSSIA, IRAQ DISCUSS MARITIME COOPERATION.
Russia's Bonokov Company director Sergei Isakov met with
Iraqi transport minister Ahmad Murtada Ahmad on 13 December
to discuss expanding maritime ties between the two countries,
Baghdad radio reported on 13 December. Ahmad noted the
increasing contribution of Russian companies in fulfilling
the needs of the transport and communications sector,
especially in maritime transport. And Isakov expressed his
company's interest in providing the technical foundation for
such ties.
Six days later, Iraqi Vice President Taha Yasin Ramadan
received Russian special tasks envoy Nikolay Kartuzov to
discuss many of the same issues, INA reported on 19 December.
Ramadan noted the Russian Federation's effective role in the
UN Security Council and its efforts to lift the embargo
imposed on Iraq. And Kartuzov said his country attaches great
importance in maintaining cooperation with Iraq under the
circumstances of the sanctions, as well as under normal
circumstances. (David Nissman)
IRAQ, UKRAINE MOVE TO EXPAND TIES.
Ukraine has responded to Baghdad's indication of
interest in opening embassies in some of the former Soviet
republics by sending several delegations to the Iraqi capital
to explore this possibility. Kyiv's "Den" of 6 December
reaffirmed Ukrainian interest in opening a mission in
Baghdad. It quoted a senior Ukrainian foreign ministry
official as saying that Kyiv "regards Iraq as one of the most
promising partners in the Near East area" because of the size
of its domestic market, its oil reserves, and its past
experience - in Soviet times - of working with Iraqis. One
indication that Iraq may move quickly in response is that the
newly named Iraqi ambassador to Russia has not been jointly
accredited to Kyiv as was his predecessor. (David Nissman)
TRANSFORMING PLAY STATIONS INTO SUPERCOMPUTERS?
According to "Ananova", a new Leeds-based (UK)"virtual
newscaster" on 19 December, U.S. defense experts believe that
Saddam Husseyn may be building a weapons supercomputer using
parts from Sony PlayStation 2s, "Ananova" reported on 19
December. They suggest that individual units from the game
consoles can be linked and their power boosted to the level
needed for long-range missiles or even nuclear devices. The
paper says that a leaked U.S. Defense Department report
confirms that up to 4,000 of the consoles have been shipped
to Iraq in the last three months. Reportedly, the Japanese
government had warned of the potential danger from
PlayStation 2 eight months ago. But an unidentified source
told "WorldNet Daily" that "one expert I spoke with estimated
that an integrated bundle of 12-15 PlayStations could provide
enough power to control an unmanned aerial vehicle." (David
Nissman)
JORDANIAN TRADE WITH IRAQ JUMPS 60 PERCENT.
During the first ten months of this year, two-way trade
between Jordan and Iraq increased by 194 million Jordanian
dinars, according to a report in the "Jordan Times" of 19
December. Preliminary figures show that bilateral trade moved
to JD 482 million for the January-October period in the year
2000 as opposed to JD 288 million a year earlier. Iraq-bound
goods rose by more than JD 26.2 million while Jordan's
imports from Iraq increased by JD 167.6 million. The sharp
increase in imports is explained by the fact that 153.9
million tons of petroleum were imported over the 1999 amount.
The primary beneficiary of the trade was Jordan's drug
industry. According to the DOS, medications topped Jordan's
exports list with a 30 percent jump to JD 38 million this
year from JD 21 million last year. Officials also forecast a
10-15 percent increase of pharmaceutical exports to Iraq next
year.
Meanwhile, a group of Jordanian pharmaceutical
manufacturers visited Baghdad and met with Iraqi Minister of
Health Dr. Umid Midhat Mubarak, Baghdad Radio reported on 12
December. The Jordanians pledged to provide the financing for
holding an Iraqi-Jordanian medical week as well as
pharmaceutical fairs in Iraq early in 2001.
Meanwhile, a Jordanian Agricultural Associations Council
said on 16 December that Jordan and Iraq are likely to sign
an agricultural trade protocol that falls outside the UN oil-
for-food deal. Prospects for agricultural trade were not
covered by the trade protocol signed between the two
countries last month. AAC member Abdul Rahman Ghaith said
that "the Iraqi side welcomed Jordan's initiative to work out
a mutual agricultural exchange protocol, as it will be the
first such deal", according to a report by the "Jordan Times"
of 17 December. Ghaith added that "our deal, if materialized,
will fall outside and will differ from the UN oil-for-food
deal, as it will be an agricultural-products-for-
agricultural-products deal." (David Nissman)
FIRST ARMENIAN PLANE LANDS IN BAGHDAD.
For the first time, an Armenian plane landed at Saddam
International airport on 18 December, AFP reported. It
carried both businessmen and politicians, including former
prime minister Aram Sarkissian. Last February, Iraq and
Armenian agreed in February to raise their diplomatic
relations to the ambassadorial level.
Meanwhile, however, the management of Royal Jordanian
Airlines decided on 16 December to end its regular flights to
Baghdad. The flights began last month with one regular flight
every Thursday. reported the Amman's "Al-Majd" on 18
December. The paper said that Royal Jordanian had decided to
operate occasional, humanitarian, and irregular flights
instead. The management took this decision in response to the
UN Sanctions Committee's objection to regular weekly flights
between Amman and Baghdad.
In a related development, on 17 December Iraq informed
Jordanian, Egyptian, Yemeni, UAE, and Russian aviation
companies that it had accepted their requests to conduct
regular flights to Baghdad. Iraqi Airways Director General
Iyad 'Abd-Al-Karim Hamam explained that Iraqi Airways does
not charge planes for landing at Saddam International
Airport, and it supplies them with fuel free of charge,
according to a report from INA of 17 December. (David
Nissman)
IRAQI TRADE MINISTER IN MALAYSIA, VIETNAM.
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed received Iraqi
Trade Minister Muhammad Mahdi Salih, Saddam Husseyn's envoy,
in Kuala Lumpur on 15 December to discuss expanding ties
between their two countries, Baghdad television reported on
15 December. Salih indicated that Iraq is interested in
acquiring the Malaysian car Proton under the next phase of
the oil-for-food program and that it also wants to purchase
food supplies, medicine and medical equipment, as well as
timber and steel for its construction needs from Malaysia.
According AFP on 14 December, bilateral trade reached $16.2
million in the first ten months of this year.
Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai told Iraqi Trade
Minister Muhammed Mahdi Salih on 16 December that Hanoi looks
forward to expanded ties, according to VNA on 16 December.
Salih replied that the implementation of the oil-for food
program be the two countries was satisfactory and that their
long-term strategic relations would be further developed.
(David Nissman)
'AZIZ RECEIVES SPANISH DELEGATION.
Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Tariq 'Aziz received
visiting Ogostavo Iristigi, deputy chairman of the Foreign
Relations Committee of the Spanish Parliament, on 16
December. Aziz used the occasion to complain about what he
called "the Zionized U.S. hegemonic policy, which does not
harm Iraq's interests only, but also all the world states,
including Spain.
Iristigi, for his part, expressed support by the Spanish
Parliament and political parties for lifting the unjust
blockade. Responding to queries from his Spanish guest, 'Aziz
said that Kurdish citizens in Iraq have an equal footing with
all other citizens of his country. (David Nissman)
TURKISH PARLIAMENT EXTENDS 'NORTHERN WATCH'.
Turkish Defense Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu said on
18 December that Operation Northern Watch which has been
working under the control of Turkish officers must have its
term extended for the sake of Turkey's national interest,
according the "Turkish Daily News."
Operation Northern Watch was established in 1991 to
prevent Baghdad from extending its hold over the north of
Iraq. It is subject to renewal by the Turkish Parliament
every six months. Cakmakoglu pointed out that Northern Watch
was a useful and necessary task at the moment since
uncertainty was ongoing in Iraq. The previous week Iraq had
urged Turkey not to extend Northern Watch for the sake of
improving good bilateral relations.
On the same occasion, Turkish officials welcomed the
nomination of retired general Colin Powell as the U.S.
Secretary of State. The "Turkish Daily News" on 18 December,
quoted an anonymous Turkish official who said: "General
Powell is a good friend of Turkey. The Turkish government and
Turkish Armed Forces worked closely and harmoniously with him
during the Gulf War. And the paper noted that Powell's first
statement following his selection was that he would work
closely with American allies to breathe new life into
sanctions against Iraq. (David Nissman)
UDAY REELECTED OLYMPIC COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN.
The General Secretariat of the National Iraqi Olympic
Committee has renewed its "absolute confidence" in 'Uday
Saddam Husseyn as chairman of the National Olympics
committee, according to INA of 13 December. (David Nissman)
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