>The paper accused Kuwait of what it termed "regular theft" of Iraqi oil over >the last decade. It said the emirate has been stealing 300,000 to 350,000 >barrels per day (bpd). Kuwait has denied the charge and says it was >producing 46,000 bpd from a well on its side of the border. > >Baghdad's accusation against Kuwait was seen in the West and some Gulf >states as a new Iraqi threat against the neighbour it invaded in 1990, >leading to the 1991 Gulf War. > >But the official al-Qadissiya newspaper dismissed the idea. "Is it a threat >if Iraq demands the return of its stolen oil wealth?" it asked. >Iraq's Trade Minister Mohammed Mehdi Saleh on Saturday denied that his >country was making threats against Kuwait. "Iraq is not threatening any of >its neighbours - it is the one being threatened by aggression," he said. > >The United States has said it would use force if Baghdad threatens its >neighbours. > > >US will not let Iraq become threat again - Cohen. > >SINGAPORE, Sept 17 (Reuters) - The United States is watching Iraq closely >and will not allow President Saddam Hussein to become a threat again, U.S. >Defence Secretary William Cohen said on Sunday. > >Iraq recently revived old accusations that Kuwait was stealing its oil and >warned of unspecified measures against the neighbour it invaded in 1990, >leading to the 1991 Gulf War. > >"We have made it very clear to Saddam Hussein that he should not seek to >pose a threat to his neighbours or to his own people as he has done in the >past," Cohen told a news conference on board the U.S.S. Germantown, docked >in Singapore. "Our forces stand ready. We are enforcing the no-fly zones in >the north and south, watching very carefully," he said. > > >Oman Urges Lifting of Sanctions Against Iraq. > >UNITED NATIONS, September 16 (Xinhua) - Oman Saturday urged the lifting of >the sanctions against Iraq, saying that they doubtlessly have done great >harm to the people of Iraq. > >Addressing the general debate of the 55th session of the United Nations >General Assembly, Yousef Bin Al-Alawi Bin Abdulah, minister of foreign >affairs of Oman, said that despite all the serious international and >regional efforts to alleviate the suffering of the Iraqi people, the general >situation in the country continues to deteriorate as a result of the >economic embargo imposed for the last 10 years. > > >Iraq Holds First Trade Expo in Lebanon in Decade. > >BEIRUT, September 16 (Xinhua) - Iraq held the first trade exposition in >Lebanese capital of Beirut Saturday since the 1990 international economic >embargo against it for its invasion of Kuwait. > >Lebanese Trade and Economy Minister Nasser Saidi said in the opening >ceremony that both Lebanon and Iraq are facing economic and political >challenges so "we should make economical and social cooperation." Fares >Saad, one of the event's organizers, said the fair did not violate the >United Nations' trade sanctions on Iraq. > >"The products that will be on display are part of a list of 41 products >exempted from the sanctions on Iraq. These are food products and not >strategic products such as oil," he said. A foreign ministry statement said >that the decision was part of an economic cooperation deal concluded between >the two countries in April 1967. >Some 750 tons' load of Iraqi products, most of which are date palm, sweets, >canned food, wool products, rugs, leather jackets and cereal, will be sold >in Expo Beirut Hall from September 16 to 24. > > >Iraqi ministers praise ties with Jordan, deny presence of crisis. >Text of report by Jordanian newspaper 'Al-Ra'y' on 15th September > >New York, Damascus, Petra: Iraqi Foreign Minister Muhammad Sa'id al-Sahhaf >has said that the Jordanian-Iraqi relations are developing and witnessing >significant improvement in all domains. > >In a statement to the Jordan News Agency corespondent at the United Nations, >Al-Sahhaf said that strenuous efforts are being made to deepen, translate >and coordinate the positive relations between the two countries. > >He added that the reports published by some London-based Arabic newspapers, >particularly the newspaper `Al-Quds al-Arabi', are untrue, a distortion of >facts, and an attempt to drive wedges between the two countries. He said: >Such reports did not, and will never, affect the strong brotherly ties >binding the two sisterly states. >Japanese Parliament Member in Iraq for Fact-Finding Visit. >BAGHDAD, September 16 (Xinhua) - Iraqi National Assembly Speaker Saadoun >Hamadi on Saturday held talks with visiting Japanese parliament member Ferma >Kuma on means of promoting bilateral ties. > >During the talks, Hamadi reviewed the current bilateral relations and >briefed the former Japanese defense minister about the miserable situation >of Iraq which has been under United Nations sanctions since its 1990 >invasion of Kuwait. > >"Iraq has fulfilled all its obligations and it is time to lift the >sanctions," he was quoted by the official Iraqi News Agency (INA) as saying. > > >Russian Plane to Arrive in Iraq Next Saturday. > >BAGHDAD, September 16 (Xinhua) - A Russian plane will make a direct flight >from Moscow to the Iraqi capital Baghdad on September 23 to pave the way for >the resumption of civil flights between the two countries, the official >Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported Saturday. >The INA quoted a spokesman for Russia's Vinokova Airline as saying that some >"prominent figures," as well as a delegation representing the Russian-Iraqi >Friendship Society, will arrive aboard the plane and hold talks with the >Iraqi side about resuming regular civil flights between Moscow and Baghdad. > >The plane will land at the newly-reopened Saddam International Airport, in a >show of support to Iraq's defiance of the United Nations sanctions. Russian >President Vladimir Putin made the decision to fly passenger planes to Iraq >after his meeting with visiting Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz in >July, and an Iraqi delegation is expected to visit Moscow later this month >to make the final preparations for this purpose. Meanwhile, Russia is making >contacts with relevant countries to grant permission for Russian planes to >fly to Iraq through their airspaces. > > >Iraq complains to Jordan over pilot ruling. > >BAGHDAD, Sept 16 (Reuters) - The speaker of Iraq's parliament has written to >Jordan complaining about a court's decision to jail an Italian pilot for >flying to Baghdad in defiance of U.N. sanctions, INA news agency said on >Saturday. > >The Jordanian court sentenced Nicola Trivoni last month in absentia to three >years in jail and a fine of 10,000 dinars ($14,000) for breaching Jordan's >airspace when he flew his light plane to Baghdad last April. "The air ban >imposed on Iraq has no any legal ground and all U.N. Security Council >resolutions against Iraq do not ban civilian flights from and to Iraq," >parliamentary speaker Saadoun Hammadi wrote in his letter to the Jordanian >parliament. Hammadi urged Jordan's parliamentary speaker "to intervene >directly with the Jordanian government and urge the authorities to cancel >the sentence." > >Government allows citizens to open foreign currency accounts. >Source: INA news agency web site, Baghdad, in Arabic 7 Sep 00 >Text of report by Iraqi news agency INA web site >Baghdad, 7th September: The Iraqi Central Bank [ICB] has allowed Iraqi >citizens inside Iraq and those residing abroad to open accounts in foreign >currency at the branches of the Iraqi banks inside Iraq and abroad. > >In a statement issued today, the ICB allowed the Iraqi citizens inside Iraq >to open an account at a non-Iraqi bank abroad after obtaining the ICB >approval. The Iraqis and those residing abroad, as well as the foreigners >were also allowed to open foreign currency accounts at the Iraqi banks >inside Iraq. > > >MISCELLANY++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > >Mariam Appeal to launch Iraq International >Work Brigades > >The London based Mariam Appeal recently announced their plans to form >monthly international work brigades who will help build a friendship village >in Iraq beginning May 2001. Mr Stuart Halford the Director of the Mariam >Appeal told ISM that the monthly work brigades will under the supervision of >Iraqi tradesmen and engineers engage in "reconciliation through >reconstruction" in an original form of international solidarity. > >Brigadiers will be in Iraq for exactly one month at a time from May until >October 2001 and every year thereafter. They will have a programme of >construction work in the mornings, lectures and discussions in the >afternoons and social and cultural activities in the evenings. Participants >should be able to speak either English or Arabic (there will be a translator >always on hand) and should be aged 18 and over. And of course they will need >to be fit enough for light construction duties and the heat of the Iraqi >summer. Brigadiers will be asked to make a contribution towards travel to >Amman. All other costs will be met by the Mariam Appeal which will fundraise >for that purpose. > >For further information please contact Stuart Halford at the Mariam >Appeal on [EMAIL PROTECTED] or by telephone on (0044) 207 403 5200 >_________________________________________________________ >_________________________________________________________ > > >ADVERTISEMENT > > >Position Four Brigade Coordinators Required (Full Time - with 3 >months per year on site in Iraq) For the MARIAM APPEAL "Iraq International >Work Brigades" > >Salary £ 20,000 per annum > >To Start January 2001 > >The Mariam Appeal, which campaigns for the lifting of sanctions on Iraq, is >sending a series of International Work Brigades to Iraq to build an >international friendship village that will be used as a centre for >international friendship and solidarity with the people of Iraq. > >The village will symbolise "reconciliation through reconstruction" and will >upon completion, be used by Iraqi children for recuperation, rest, education >and play. The project will enable people from all over the world to express >solidarity with the people of Iraq, who have suffered grievously under the >10 year embargo. The brigades will perform light construction duties (under >the guidance of Iraqi tradesmen) hold discussion and education sessions and >enjoy a variety of cultural and social activities. > >Interested ? think you have what it takes to organise international brigades >? then please contact us at : > >MARIAM APPEAL >Brigades Department >13(a) Borough High Street >London SE1 9SE > >Reports of Iraqi Missile Threat Are Greatly Exaggerated >Scott Ritter >Wednesday, September 14, 2000 >©2000 San Francisco Chronicle >URL: >http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/09/14 >/ED88802.DTL >THE PENTAGON'S DECISION to place a Patriot missile battery on a heightened >state of alert for deployment to Israel underscores the effort by the United >States and others to create the perception of an imminent threat from an >Iraqi ballistic missile. It doesn't seem to matter to the Pentagon that the >Israeli Prime Minister himself downplays the Iraqi missile threat as >nonexistent. >In the nearly 20 months since U.N. weapons inspectors were last on the job >in Iraq, there has been no shortage of speculation on what has transpired >inside Iraq's weapons factories. Richard Butler, the former executive >chairman of the now-defunct United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM), has >been at the forefront of those charging that Iraq is actively rearming. >One of Ambassador Butler's favorite themes has been that ``Saddam Hussein is >back in the business of making long-range missiles.'' The Pentagon's >announcement appears perfectly constructed to play along with this theme. >This is not the first time the United States has hyped an ``imminent'' >threat from Iraqi missiles. This past summer, the CIA reported that its >satellites picked up evidence that Iraq had resumed flight testing of the >Al-Samoud missile. Even though the Al-Samoud has a range of less than 150 >kilometers and is permitted under U.N. resolutions, the CIA highlighted >these tests as proof that Iraq had more nefarious plans for long-range >missiles. >The United States has not been alone in ``exposing'' the threat from >Baghdad. In a rare public statement earlier this month, the German >Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND) Intelligence Service confirmed a report that >its agents had located a ``secret Iraqi missile factory near Baghdad,'' the >Al Mamoun factory, which produces solid- fuel missiles known as the >Ababil-100. >Although the Ababil-100, like the Al-Samoud, possesses a range less than 150 >kilometers, the BND cited this latest discovery as clear evidence that >Saddam Hussein has continued to build up his arsenal. >Given that inspectors have not been on the job for some time now, such >information, on the surface, would seem compelling. But the reality is much >different. >Contrary to the BND report, the Al-Mamoun factory was well known to UNSCOM >missile inspectors. Like the rest of the Iraqi weapons production infrastruc >ture, the Al Mamoun factory had been under continuous monitoring by >UNSCOM since 1993. The ``secret'' Ababil-100 missile project had in fact >been declared to UNSCOM by Iraq in the spring of 1998. UNSCOM inspectors >never felt that the Ababil-100 missile represented anything close to a >viable project, let alone the potential threat to German cities that the BND >report made it out to be. >Why would the Germans publish such a report at this time? The answer lies in >the current effort by UNSCOM's successor organization, the United Nations >Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) to send >inspectors back into Iraq. Iraq has made it clear that it rejects such >inspections, and the Security Council is bracing itself for yet another >confrontation. A report such as the one put out by the BND will play a >prominent role in any discussion concerning Iraq's refusal to accept the >UNMOVIC inspectors, and it closely parallels the CIA reports of the past >summer and complements the recent Pentagon announcement on the Patriot >missiles. >Given the lack of substance behind the reports from the CIA, BND and the >Pentagon, one couldn't help but conclude that these reports are part of an >overall cam paign of disinformation designed to continue demonizing and >isolating Iraq. Such disinformation campaigns have long been associated with >the effort to contain Iraq through the continued economic sanctions. In this >regard, the key issue isn't the truth about Iraq's weapons of mass >destruction, but rather the perception, however incorrect, of the threat >such weapons pose in the hands of Iraq. >The continuation of economic sanctions, which have resulted in the deaths of >some 1.5 million innocent Iraqi civilians, hinges on the issue of Iraq's >weapons of mass destruction. It is high time that this issue be debated on >the basis of fact, not fiction. >By spreading such misleading and inaccurate reports, the United States and >Germany have thrown away the credibility that comes by embracing the truth, >and instead have surrounded themselves with a bodyguard of lies. Given the >enormity of the tragedy unfolding in Iraq today, the citizens of these two >great democracies deserve, and should demand, better. >Scott Ritter, the author of ``Endgame'' (Simon & Schuster, 1999), was a U.N. >weapons inspector in Iraq. > >tel: +44 (0)20 7403 5200 >fax: +44 (0)20 7403 3823 >email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >web: www.mariamappeal.com > > >Knowledge is Power! >Elimination of the exploitation of man by man >http://www.egroups.com/group/pttp/ >POWER TO THE PEOPLE! > >Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Change Delivery Options: >http://www.egroups.com/mygroups > > _______________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi _______________________________________________________ Kominform list for general information. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Anti-Imperialism list for anti-imperialist news. 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