RFE/RL IRAQ REPORT
Vol. 4, No. 11, 7 April 2001
A Review of Developments in Iraq Prepared by the Regional
Specialists of RFE/RL's Newsline Team
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HEADLINES:
* SCIRI READY FOR DIALOGUE WITH WASHINGTON
* IRAQ REJECTS ARAB SUMMIT DRAFT...
* ...BUT EXTENDS CONSULTATIONS
* KUWAIT 'NOT COMMITTED' TO ANY FORMULA ON IRAQ TIES
* TURKEY'S CEM IN U.S. TO DISCUSS MODIFYING EMBARGO...
* ...AND IRAQ HOPES TO LINK UP WITH EUROPEAN GAS NET
VIA TURKEY
* IRAQ-SYRIA FREE-TRADE ZONE LAUNCHED
* EGYPT SEEKS MORE TRADE WITH IRAQ
* MOROCCAN TRADE FAIR IN IRAQ
* RAMADAN RECEIVES RUSSIAN ENVOY
* IRAQI MINISTER IN MINSK
* ARMENIA PURSUING OWN INTERESTS WITH IRAQ TIES
* KURDISH SCHOLAR MURDERED IN BAGHDAD
* KDP, PUK TAKE STEPS TO NORMALIZE TIES
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SCIRI READY FOR DIALOGUE WITH WASHINGTON. In an interview
published in London's "Al-Hayat" on 3 April, Muhammad Baqir Al-Hakim,
chairman of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq
(SCIRI), said that he would have no objection to "a direct dialogue"
with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell or other senior American
officials "to protect the interests of the Iraqi people."
Al-Hakim said that the new administration in the United States
"has brought a new momentum and is trying to show seriousness in its
handling of the Iraqi people's cause." And while he denied any
knowledge of reported U.S. plans to establish a "safe haven" for the
opposition in southern Iraq, he appealed to Washington to back up its
words with actions against Baghdad's continuing repression of the
people.
In other comments, he said that improving ties between Iran and
Iraq will not have an impact on SCIRI or on all of the opposition to
Saddam Husseyn. He also denied that his group had any links with the
Mujahedin-e Khalq. As for the "Al-Badr corps" (SCIRI's military
arm), Al-Hakim said that "the corps military decision is an Iraqi one
and not Iranian, other than those that concern Iranian sovereignty,
including the non-infiltration of Iraq from Iran."
Al-Hakim also claimed that that the Iraqi Army was cooperating
with SCIRI's aims, adding that "the attack with Katyushas (see
"RFE/RL Iraq Report," 30 March 2001) on the Republican Palace was
carried out with the army's help after we have spread our message
within it, a message that says that Iraq does not belong to a
privileged group but to all Iraqis." (David Nissman)
IRAQ REJECTS ARAB SUMMIT DRAFT... Baghdad's rejection of the
Arab summit draft on the situation reflects its continuing
unwillingness to implement UN resolutions and to release more than
600 Kuwaiti POWs, the former chief of Iraqi intelligence Wafiq Al-
Samarra'i said. Meanwhile, Hamid Al-Bayyati, the Kuwait
representative of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in
Iraq (SCIRI), said that "every time that Arabs try to reconcile with
Iraq, the regime becomes more stubborn and creates more problems and
tension in the region." Other opposition leaders collectively agreed
that the Iraq regime's refusal of the Amman draft resolution was
because "Baghdad does not want the sanctions lifted." Saddam's main
concern is to maintain the flow of billions of dollars that he
receives from illegal oil exports. (David Nissman)
...BUT EXTENDS CONSULTATIONS. Iraqi Vice President 'Izzat
Ibrahim and Iraqi Foreign Minister Muhammad Sa'id Al-Sahhaf have
remained in Amman after the Arab summit for further consultations
with King 'Abdallah II, according to London's "Al-Sharq Al-Awsat" on
30 March. (David Nissman)
KUWAIT 'NOT COMMITTED' TO ANY FORMULA ON IRAQ TIES. Kuwait's
Ambassador to Amman Faysal Mash'an told the "Jordan Times" that
Kuwait is not committed "to any formula reached during the Arab
summit because Iraq did not accept the compromise reached by
the...foreign ministers," according to AFP on 2 April. He added that
"we presented many concessions during the summit which were not
reciprocated by the other side, so we consider what has been agreed
upon as cancelled." Meanwhile, Beirut's "Al-Mustaqbal" reported on 30
March that Jordanian Foreign Minister 'Abd-Al-Ilah Al-Khatib said
that the reconciliation formula which proposed to resolve the
problem between Iraq and Kuwait could have been worked out and was,
in fact, within reach had Baghdad not stuck to another formula that
would not have made any change. (David Nissman)
TURKEY'S CEM IN U.S. TO DISCUSS MODIFYING EMBARGO... Turkish
Foreign Minister Ismail Cem has pressed Washington to "reorganize"
the sanctions regime in ways that "will be to the interest of
Turkey," Western agencies reported. Accompanying Cem on his visit to
the U.S. was Foreign Trade Undersecretary Kursad Tuzmen, who also
asked for Washington's support for lifting the UN ban on Turkey's
tenders related to Iraq. At a press conference at the Turkish Embassy
in Washington, he said he had asked U.S. officials at the United
Nations to overcome bureaucratic roadblocks there on Iraq as Turkey
has been enormously harmed by the sanctions, according to "The
Turkish Daily News" on 29 March. One-third of the $650 million volume
of trade between Turkey and Iraq has been suspended as a result of UN
sanctions. (David Nissman)
...AS TURKEY TO OPEN SECOND BORDER CROSSING WITH IRAQ...
Even as Cem and Tuzmen were pressing the U.S. to ease sanctions,
Anatolia Agency reported on 30 March that Turkey has decided to open
a second border crossing with Iraq. According to the report, Ankara
has not decided yet on the precise location of the new crossing
point. That will be decided later in April. (David Nissman)
...AND IRAQ HOPES TO LINK UP WITH EUROPEAN GAS NET VIA
TURKEY. Taha Hamud Yasin, secretary of the Iraqi Oil Ministry, has
announced that current talks between Iraq and Turkey concerning the
construction of a natural gas pipeline to Turkey have reached an
advanced stage so that it will be possible to sign a joint agreement
between the two countries to this effect, "Arab News" reported on 2
April. Meanwhile, the Turkish daily "Cumhuriyet" on 1 April reported
that this agreement will allow Baghdad to link into the European gas
network in the future. According to the "Middle East Economic Survey)
the agreement promises to supple Turkey with amounts that may reach
10 billion cubic meters of Iraqi gas from the five gas fields of Al-
Anfal, Al-Mansuriya, Jaryat Baka, Al-Khasham Ahmar in Al-Jamjal in
the north of Iraq. (David Nissman)
IRAQI-SYRIAN FREE-TRADE ZONE LAUNCHED. As of 1 April, Iraq and
Syria have dropped all duties on trade between the two, AP reported.
That arrangement was reached in an accord between Syrian Prime
Minister Muhammad Mustafa Miru and Iraqi Vice President Taha Yasin
Ramadan. The latter noted that this agreement was "a step toward Arab
economic unity and the establishment of an Arab common market."
Current annual trade volume between the two countries is
approximately $500 million - under the official UN oil-for-food
program. But London's "Al-Hayat" on 2 April says that each country
expects the real volume to reach $1 billion this year. Syria
reestablished relations with Iraq only in 1988 and reopened its
borders only in 1997. In 2000, Baghdad opened an interests section in
Damascus, and Syria is expected to open a similar office in Baghdad
this year. (David Nissman)
EGYPT SEEKS MORE TRADE WITH IRAQ. An Egyptian trade delegation
led by Public Enterprise Minister Mukhtar Khattab arrived in Baghdad
on 1 April to discuss bilateral cooperation, AFP reported on 1 April.
Iraqi Minister of Trade Muhammad Mahdi Salih told the Iraqi News
Agency that trade between the two countries under the UN's oil-for-
food program stood at some $2 billion a year. Egypt is currently
Iraq's third largest trading partner, behind France and Russia.
(David Nissman)
MOROCCAN TRADE FAIR IN BAGHDAD. Iraqi Vice President Taha Yasin
Ramadan opened a Moroccan trade fair in Baghdad on 1 April, AFP
reported. In support of the fair, Morocco's Minister of Trade Mustafa
Mansuri brought with him 160 businessmen and officials. He told the
Moroccan TV channel "TVM" that Saddam Husseyn has instructed his
government to give the Arab states priority in cooperation. According
to "Arab News" on 2 April, the volume of trade between Iraq and
Morocco is now $267 million a year. (David Nissman)
RAMADAN RECEIVES RUSSIAN ENVOY. Iraqi Vice President Taha Yasin
Ramadan received Russian Ambassador for Special Missions Nikolay
Kartuzov on 2 April and thanked him for President Vladimir Putin's
opposition to sanctions as expressed in his letter to the Arab summit
in Amman, Baghdad Radio reported. Ramadan added that he hoped Russia
and Iraq will take practical steps to foil the attempts of those who
pursue a policy that conflicts with these relations. Kartuzov for his
part expressed Russia's desire to lift the blockade imposed on Iraq.
He also insisted that the new U.S. administration had not changed its
attitude toward Baghdad. (David Nissman)
ARMENIA PURSUING OWN INTERESTS WITH IRAQ TIES. Armenian
Deputy Foreign Minister Ruben Shugarian said in an interview
published in "Respublika Armenii" of 16-23 March that "Armenia is
trying to pursue an independent policy, including in the Near East,
where we have many interests. Actually, there were two reasons for
opening and embassy in Baghdad. There is the isolated Armenian
diaspora of 30,000 in Iraq, who are critically in need of
humanitarian aid. And there are our economic interests within the
framework of the UN oil-for-food program. We do not concern ourselves
with anyone else's political interests, for with rare exceptions
small countries cannot be intermediaries in relations among large
states, especially those burdened with a difficult legacy." (David
Nissman)
IRAQI MINISTER IN MINSK. An Iraqi delegation headed by Minister
of Industry and Minerals Adnan 'Abd-Al-Majid went to the Belarusian
capital to discuss expanding trade in tractors, trucks, and
mechanical engineering. Belarusian Prime Minister Vladimir Yermoshin
told the Iraqis that the visit confirms "the high level of instate
relations between the two countries" and added that Belarus has
always favored lifting all sanctions against Iraq, Interfax reported
on 30 March. (David Nissman)
KURDISH SCHOLAR MURDERED IN BAGHDAD. London's "Al-Sharq Al-
Awsat" reported on 30 March that Kurdish historian and scholar
Muhammad Jamil Bandi Al-Rusbayani, 88, had been murdered with an axe
in Baghdad on 27 March. He reportedly had received international
support for his research. Following the coup in 1968, Al-Rusbayani
was an advisor to the committee on the affairs of the north, which
was then chaired by current President Saddam Husseyn. He also worked
in several committees of the Kurdish department of the Iraqi
Scientific Academy and has published several works on history,
language, and literature. (David Nissman)
KDP, PUK TAKE STEPS TO NORMALIZE TIES. The Kurdistan
Democratic Party and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan have taken steps to
normalize relations between them, according to a report in the
"Kurdish Observer" of 6 April. They have decided to remove the
military line that divides Iraqi Kurdistan and to open up bureaus in
each others territory. And they indicated that they will consider
plans to create a joint government as well. (David Nissman)
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