RFE/RL IRAQ REPORT
Vol. 4, No. 17, 18 May 2001
A Review of Developments in Iraq Prepared by the Regional
Specialists of RFE/RL's Newsline Team
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HEADLINES:
* BAGHDAD SAYS U.S. TOP SPONSOR OF TERRORISM
* TARIQ AZIZ SEES SMART SANCTIONS AS INEVITABLE...
* ...BUT RAMADAN SAYS NO UN INSPECTORS WILL BE ALLOWED
* APP ACCUSES BAGHDAD OF TRAFFICKING IN BODY PARTS
* UDAY HAS ANOTHER FOOTBALL PLAYER PUNISHED
* SYRIAN INTERESTS OFFICE TO OPEN IN BAGHDAD
* JORDAN SEES IRAQ TIES AS 'STRATEGIC'
* IRAQ, IRAN MAY RESUME AIR LINKS
* SCIRI HEAD PRAISES KUWAIT
* IRAQ ACQUIRES VIETNAMESE BUSES
* KDP HAS NO PROBLEMS WITH TURKMENS
* ANKARA REJECTS IDEA OF KURDISH STATE IN NORTHERN
IRAQ
* IRAQI KURDS ASSURED OF U.S. PROTECTION
* KURDISTAN ELECTRIC POWER NETWORK EXPANDS
* CHALDEAN CHURCH HOLDS CONGRESS IN BAGHDAD
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BAGHDAD SAYS U.S. TOP SPONSOR OF TERRORISM. An Iraqi Foreign
Ministry spokesman said that the United States "tops the list of
nations that sponsor and instigate terrorism," Baghdad Radio reported
on 10 May. Responding to the annual U.S. State Department report on
terrorism, the spokesman said that Washington "regards as terrorism
the peoples' rights to engage in self-defense and to protect their
dignity, existence, and independence." But, he said, the U.S. does
not seem to think that "its provision of a safe haven for terrorist
groups, its financing and arming of these groups, and its instigation
for armed rebellion against the Iraqi government" represent
terrorism. The spokesman suggested that Washington's loss of a seat
on the UN Human Rights Commission and on the UN Office for Drug
Control and Crime Prevention showed that others recognize that fact.
(David Nissman)
TARIQ AZIZ SEES SMART SANCTIONS AS INEVITABLE... Deputy Prime
Minister Tariq Aziz told the 11th Pan-Arab Conference that Baghdad
views the imposition of what the U.S. calls "smart sanctions" as
inevitable but said that Baghdad will reject any plan that maintains
the unjust blockade against Iraq, Baghdad Radio reported on 14 May.
In other comments, he stressed Baghdad's willingness to work with the
Arab countries, Iran, and Turkey. (David Nissman)
...BUT RAMADAN SAYS NO UN INSPECTORS WILL BE ALLOWED. In an
interview published in Moscow's "Vremya Novostei" on 14 May, Iraqi
Vice President Taha Yasin Ramadan said that Baghdad will now allow UN
inspectors back into Iraq. "Why do we need all those spies in
Washington's pay?" he asked rhetorically. As to Russian President
Vladimir Putin's role, Ramadan said that "look how many Arab leaders
have visited Moscow! Everyone feels that Putin has something that did
not exist in Russia before." (David Nissman)
APP ACCUSES BAGHDAD OF TRAFFICKING IN BODY PARTS. The
Assyrian Patriotic Party (APP) sent a letter to the World Health
Organization on 17 May accusing Iraqi Health Minister Umid Midhat
Mubarak of having approved the illegal transfer of human organs from
political prisoners who had died to other patients. The letter was
clearly intended to embarrass Mubarak who is now attending a meeting
in Geneva, but the APP said that they have documentation that he is
guilty of this crime and want Mubarak kept out of the WHO meeting.
(David Nissman)
'UDAY HAS ANOTHER FOOTBALL PLAYER PUNISHED. Saddam's son
'Uday, who heads Iraq's football federation, has had another football
player tortured after the latter failed to perform as required in a
match against Turkmenistan, London's "Sunday Times" reported on 13
May. Sa'd Qayth Nu'man is the second football player to have suffered
from Uday's anger in less than two years. The first, Haydar Mahmud
Al-Hudaythi, was bastinadoed, dragged through gravel, and forced into
a sewage tank so that his wounds would become infected. (David
Nissman)
SYRIAN INTERESTS OFFICE TO OPEN IN BAGHDAD. London's "Al-Sharq
Al-Awsat" on 12 May reported that a Syrian interests section in
Baghdad will open "in the next few days." It will be headed by
Muhammad Hasan Tawwab, who holds the rank of minister plenipotentiary
at the Syrian Foreign Ministry. Baghdad opened a similar office in
Damascus more than a year ago. The delay appears to reflect
continuing tensions in the relationship. Another indication of that
was reported by London's "Al-Hayat" two days later. According to that
paper, former Iraqi Minister of Information Hammam Abd-Al-Ghafur
summoned the director of the Baghdad office of the "Al-Jazirah"
Satellite Television and asked him to stop airing a program based on
an extensive interview with the former Syrian President Amin Al-
Hafiz, who is now in exile in Baghdad. "Al-Hayat" says that "the
sharp criticisms, which Al-Hafiz leveled at the Damascus government
during the interview, might adversely affect the rapprochement moves
between the two countries. (David Nissman)
JORDAN SEES IRAQI TIES AS 'STRATEGIC.' Following his four-day
visit to Baghad, Jordanian Trade and Industry Minister Wazif Azar
said that the framework agreement signed between the two countries
reflects the "strategic aspect" of bilateral ties, London's "Al-Quds
Al-'Arabi" reported on 10 May. This represents a shift in Amman's
position and appears to be rooted in King 'Abdullah's desire to visit
Baghdad, economic calculations, and a desire to re-establish regular
flights between the capitals. Amman's move also may reflect a desire
there to put pressure on Washington, where the free-trade agreement
with the U.S. is still pending in the Congress.
(David Nissman)
IRAQ, IRAN MAY RESUME AIR LINKS. Baghdad's "Al-Rafidayn" on 15
May said that Baghdad and Tehran are negotiating to restore air links
broken off more than 20 years ago. (David Nissman)
SCIRI HEAD PRAISES KUWAIT. Muhammad Baqir Al-Hakim, head of the
Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, praised Kuwait
for highlighting the hostile intentions of Baghdad, the "Kuwait
Times" reported on 14 May. He also reiterated his view that the Iraq
regime can be changed only by the Iraqi people. (David Nissman)
IRAQ ACQUIRES VIETNAMESE BUSES. Vidamco plans to export 500
buses to Iraq, with the first 300 to be delivered this year, SGT-
Hanoi reported on 14 May. (David Nissman)
KDP HAS NO PROBLEMS WITH TURKMENS. Mas'ud Barzani, leader of
the Kurdistan Democratic Party, said at a press conference in Ankara
that Turkey's concerns about Iraq's territorial integrity are
"unnecessary." But he noted that Ankara is also concerned about the
Turkmens, although he stressed that "we don't have any problems with
our Turkmen brothers," the Anatolia news agency reported on 10 May.
(David Nissman)
ANKARA REJECTS IDEA OF KURDISH STATE IN NORTHERN IRAQ.
Turkish Foreign Ministry officials told the "Turkish Daily News" on
15 May that Ankara sees "no possibility for the establishment of a
Kurdish state in northern Iraq." They also denied the existence of a
reported secret report by the prime minister on Iraq. That report was
said by Turkish media to include a provision saying that Ankara will
prevent the formation of a Kurdish state in Iraq. The alleged "secret
document" was discussed in the pro-PKK publication "Ozgur Politika"
of 14 May and the Istanbul newspaper "Radikal" of 13 May. "Ozgur
Politika" said that the report shows that Ankara will support Iraq's
territorial integrity. But "Radikal" said that the report calls for
normalizing ties with the Turkmens. (David Nissman)
IRAQI KURDS ASSURED OF U.S. PROTECTION. American officials in
Ankara have told the Barzani delegation that even though the U.S.
patrols over the northern Iraq no-fly zone may be reduced, they will
still protect the region against Saddam's forces, the "Turkish Daily
News" reported on 11 May. (David Nissman)
KURDISTAN ELECTRIC POWER NETWORK EXPANDS. Several power
generators have been delivered to Irbil, and teams of the Soran
Electricity Supply Directorate have drawn up plans for the town of
Soran and environs. According to Irbil's "Brayati" of 29 April,
several of the Soran plans are now being implemented. The directorate
plans to expand the system in the future. (David Nissman)
CHALDEAN CHURCH HOLDS CONGRESS IN BAGHDAD. The Chaldean
Church, Iraq's largest Christian denomination, convened a five-day
congress in Baghdad on 14 May, AFP reported. Religious figures from
around the world have been invited to attend. Iraqi Religious Affairs
Minister Abd-Al-Munaym Ahmad Salih used the occasion to urge the
international community to oppose U.S. efforts to prolong the
embargo, reported AFP on 15 May. (David Nissman)
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