IRAQ SANCTIONS MONITOR Number 161 Monday, November 27 2000 LATEST NEWS++++++VHS copies of the film 'Big Ben to Baghdad', the epic account of last year's journey in a 37-year-old Routemaster bus from London to the capital of sanctions-engulfed Iraq. The 65-minute-film costs £9.99 from the Mariam Appeal, 13a Borough High Street, London+++++++++++++++++LATEST _____________________________________________________ Iraqis celebrate Asian youth cup victory. BAGHDAD, Nov 26 (Reuters) - Baghdad was in jubilant mood on Sunday after its Asian youth football victory. Hundreds of young people took to the streets in the evening to celebate their country's 2-1 win against Japan, handing Iraq the title at the Asian Youth Football Championship in Tehran. Carrying Iraqi flags, the celebrators crowded the main streets of the capital, singing and dancing as shots were fired into the air. Iraq's youth team has won the Asian title four times - in 1975, 1977 and 1988. The team qualified this year after heading their group four on goal aggregate. The group included Bangladesh, Nepal and the Maldives. ______________________________________________________ India and Iraq seek UN permission to enter into a barter agreement. NEW DELHI Nov. 25. - India has sought clearance from the United Nations (UN),to enter into a barter agreement with Iraq, seeking crude in lieu of foodgrains. India will supply Iraq with food, in an effort to bypass the sanctions imposed on that country by the international community. The Petroleum Minister, Mr Ram Naik, disclosed this after a preliminary meeting with the Iraqi Oil Minister, Mr Amer Mohammad Rashid, in New Delhi today, prior to the five-day visit of Iraq's Vice-President, Mr Yassin Ramadhan, beginning tomorrow. "The issue will be discussed during the meeting of the Indo-Iraq joint commission beginning on Monday," Mr Naik said. "Since Iraq is facing sanctions from the international community, it is not possible for India to import oil," Mr Naik said, adding that foodgrains could be sent on humanitarian grounds. According to the foreign ministry, it is anticipated that this time long term cooperation agreement, updating previous agreements, will take place on bilateral issues. There are currently about 74 bilateral agreements between the two countries. The Indo-Iraq joint commission is expected to focus on trade and sectors like agriculture, telecom, food production, industry, information and technology, housing and construction and training. The oil sector is, however, a primary component of bilateral cooperation, and Iraq has been a consistent and dependable source of India's energy requirements. Under the 'oil for food' programme, Indian companies, including Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited (Bhel), have already entered into contracts worth $550 million. Iraq has thus far bought half a million tons of wheat from India. Indian government godowns are totally stacked with foodgrain stocks and it would greatly ease the pressure on foreign exchange (Forex) reserves, if India could dispose of some of these foodgrains for much needed crude. India has sought special concessions for developing countries from the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec), of which Iraq is a member, claiming that volatile international oil prices exerts tremendous pressure on developing economies struggling to remove poverty. All Material Subject to Copyright Copyright 2000: The Statesman (India). All Rights Reserved. _____________________________________________________ Vice-President Ramadan urges airlines to resume flights to Baghdad. Text of report by Iraqi TV on 26th November Vice-President Taha Yasin Ramadan left Baghdad for India this evening aboard an Iraqi Airways plane. Ramadan is leading a delegation that comprises a number of officials. [Baghdad TV reporter Sham'un Matti - recording] Mr Vice-President: Would you tell us about the nature of the visit you will pay to India and the talks you will hold with officials there? [Ramadan] Relations with India have witnessed over the past two years progress in many fields, following our meeting with the Indian prime minister in South Africa on the sidelines of the nonaligned summit. The work of the joint ministerial committee became regular; many contracts were signed; and contacts were held between both countries' parliaments and organizations. The talks between senior officials dealt with economic, scientific, technical and even political issues. In the light of this, we received an invitation from the [Indian] vice-president to discuss with the Indian prime minister and leaders all aspects of cooperation between the two countries. Therefore, we will discuss the general framework of a long-term agreement for cooperation between the two countries in all fields. [Matti] You will leave on board an Iraqi Airways plane. Yesterday, Tariq Aziz left on board an Iraqi Airways plane. Is this tantamount to an official announcement on the resumption of Iraqi Airways flights? [Ramadan] When our planes are ready to fly we have to use them in our flights. Suspension of flights is not based on any resolution or legal ground. Regrettably, some sides, companies and countries took the American lie into consideration and suspended their flights to Iraq. However, I believe that any official can come to Baghdad from any country on board of a plane. On this occasion, I call on all airliners, which used to deal with Iraq and which have agreements with the Iraqi Airways, to organize their flights and to return things to normal. [End of recording] Taha Yasin Ramadan was seen off by Muhammad Hamzah al-Zubaydi, member of the Revolution Command Council and deputy prime minister; Hikmat al-Azzawi, deputy prime minister and minister of finance; a number of ministers; Dr Nabil Najm, undersecretary at the Foreign Ministry; and the Indian charge d'affaires in Baghdad. Source: Iraqi TV, Baghdad, in Arabic 1800 gmt 26 Nov 00. _______________________________________________________ Iraq says US, UK envoys in Committee 661 obstruct four contracts. Text of report by Iraqi TV on 26th November In a fresh proof of their hostile approach against the valiant Iraqi people and upon the behest of the evil US administration and its lackey, Britain, the US and UK envoys in the ill-famed Committee 661 blocked the ratification of four contracts on exporting 400 passenger buses to Iraq. This desperate and exposed attempt by the US and UK envoys is intended to harm the Iraqi people's jihad against the enemies of God and the Arab nation, the Zionists and against their occupation and desecration. In a statement to the Iraqi News Agency, [INA], Ahmad Murtada, minister of transport and communications, said: Among the new methods adopted by the aforementioned envoys is their recourse for frail excuses and illogical pretexts to block the ratification of these contracts which were signed last January at a total cost of 26.6m [dollars]. The minister added that among the ignominious questions asked by the two envoys is: Why do the buses have two doors, not one? Why are the engines and the air conditioning systems of high capacity? The US and UK envoys impose, as they customarily do, a variety of obstacles to reflect their ill will and harm our steadfast people, the minister noted. Source: Iraqi TV, Baghdad, in Arabic 1800 gmt 26 Nov 00. ______________________________________________________ Health minister says five medical contracts suspended by US, UK envoys. Text of report by Iraqi radio on 26th November Health Minister Umid Midhat Mubarak has said that the US and UK representatives in Committee 661 insisted on suspending five contracts, three for the last year and two for the current year. The suspended contracts included diagnostic and bacteriology materials used to isolate germs from infected citizens and foodstuffs and identify causes of diseases. Some of these materials are used to diagnose Cholera, the minister added. In a statement to the Iraqi News Agency, he said that the Health Ministry repeatedly appealed to several quarters to help lift the suspension imposed on these extremely important materials. Among the quarters contacted are the Economic and Trade Department at the Trade Ministry and the World Health Organization. The health minister urged the companies that produce these materials to contact Committee 661 in order to lift the suspension imposed on these contracts. He asserted that the Sanctions Committee was provided with detailed information on the applications of these materials. However, the US and British envoys in the aforementioned committee refused to ratify these contracts which are still put on hold. He underlined the importance of these materials whose unavailability will inflict harm on the health of the Iraqi citizens. Source: Republic of Iraq Radio, Baghdad, in Arabic 1500 gmt 26 Nov 00. ______________________________________________________ Trade Ministry announces increase of food rations during Ramadan. Text of report by Iraqi radio on 26th November An official source at the Trade Ministry has said that upon the directives of leader President Saddam Husayn, God watch over him, the Trade Ministry will, as from the first day of Ramadan, Monday, 27th November 2000, grant an additional ration from the following materials and according to the quantities marked next to each. The extra quantities will be within the ration distribution plan of January. However, their distribution will begin as from the first day of Ramadan, Monday, 27th November 2000. A. Five hundred grams of rice. Thus, the total for each individual will become 3.5 kilograms. B. Five hundred grams of sugar. Thus, the total ration for each individual will become 2.5 kilograms. C. Five hundred grams of cooking oil. The total individual ration will thus become 1.750 kilograms. D. One hundred grams of tea. The total individual ration will thus become 250 grams. Additionally, the Trade Ministry will reduce the retail prices of the construction and sanitary materials as well as the electric construction materials by 25 per cent. The prices of other commodities will be reduced as well. Source: Republic of Iraq Radio, Baghdad, in Arabic 1500 gmt 26 ______________________________________________________ Sanctions may prevent Russia from mine clearing in Iraq, Lebanon. Excerpts from report by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS Moscow, 26th November, ITAR-TASS correspondent Grigoriy Dubovitskiy: The question of Russia's involvement in mine clearing in Lebanon and Iraq "remains open", a high-ranking source in the Russian Emergencies Ministry has told ITAR-TASS. He said that the sanctions imposed against Iraq and Lebanon could become the main obstacle to implementing the projects. "Any attempt at exporting mine clearing equipment and technologies to these countries or training of experts can be interpreted as the handover of dual technologies to 'rogue' states," the source said. "We are now trying to find legal mechanisms, which will make it possible to carry out mine clearing, within the framework of the existing sanctions," the representative of the Emergency Ministry said... Russia and Lebanon decided in November to set up a mine-clearing centre in Lebanon for training experts. Experts from the Russian Emergencies Ministry are studying the area and preparing for the start of mine-clearing. Source: ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow, in Russian 2115 gmt 25 ______________________________________________________ Saddam urges Palestinians to continue uprising. BAGHDAD, Nov 26 (Reuters) - President Saddam Hussein urged Palestinians to continue their uprising against Israel and to ignore "short-sighted political solutions" sponsored by the United States. Iraq has supported the Palestinians over two months of Israeli-Palestinian clashes and has called for Islamic Jihad "holy war" to liberate Palestinian territory from Israel. "What we hope from Palestinian leadership is that they should not pin hope on short-sighted political solutions and they should be patient because anyone who wants to liberate his country should show patience," Iraqi newspapers on Sunday quoted Saddam as saying. Saddam, speaking during a cabinet meeting late on Saturday, also called for confronting U.S. interests anywhere in the world. "Arabs should direct their struggle and jihad against American interests," he said. Middle East diplomacy shifted to Egypt where President Hosni Mubarak and a senior aide to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak met to explore ways of ending two months of bloodshed in the West Bank and Gaza. The Israeli official, Danny Yatom met Mubarak less than a week after Egypt, the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel, recalled its ambassador to Tel Aviv and accused the Jewish state of aggression towards Palestinians. Saddam had urged the United Nations to include relief supplies for the Palestinian people under Iraq's oil-for-food deal with the world body. "I want an official memorandum to be submitted to the Security Council and the Secretary-General asking for a quota for the Palestinian people to be deducted from Iraq's revenues of the memorandum of understanding," Iraqi television quoted Saddam as saying during a cabinet meeting on Saturday. Baghdad has always taken a hard line towards Israel and fired Scud missiles at the Jewish state during the Gulf War. It also opposes peace agreements signed between Israel and the Palestinians and those signed with neighbouring countries. ______________________________________________ Saddam urges U.N. to include Palestinians in oil deal. BAGHDAD, Nov 25 (Reuters) - President Saddam Hussein urged the United Nations on Saturday to include relief supplies for the Palestinian people under Iraq's oil-for-food deal with the world body. "I want an official memorandum to be submitted to the Security Council and the Secretary-General asking for a quota for the Palestinian people to be deducted from Iraq's revenues of the memorandum of understanding," Iraqi television quoted Saddam as saying during a cabinet meeting. The oil deal allows Iraq to sell unlimited quantities of oil over six months to buy food, medicine and other humanitarian supplies for the Iraqi people to ease the impact of stringent U.N. sanctions imposed for Baghdad's 1990 invasion of Kuwait. Saddam said the supplies he proposoed for the Palestinians were to support them in their uprising against Israel. Earlier this week Saddam watched a parade in Baghdad by nearly two million Iraqis volunteering to fight with Palestinians against Israeli troops. Iraq has always taken a hard line towards Israel and fired Scud missiles at the Jewish state during the Gulf War. It also opposes peace agreements signed between Israel and the Palestinians and those signed with neighbouring countries. ______________________________________________________ Syrian minister, medical team arrive in Iraq aboard Syrian aircraft. Text of report by Iraqi radio on 25th November A Syrian plane landed at Saddam International Airport at 1330 [local time] today, carrying on board a medical delegation led by Syrian Health Minister Muhammad Iyyad al-Shatti to participate in the Iraqi-Syrian medical week. Receiving the Syrian delegation at the airport were Health Minister Dr Omid Midhat Mubrak, Baghdad Mayor Adnan Al-Duri, and a number of Health Ministry officials. _____________________________________________________ Iraqi leader receives "dean" of Qatari ruling family. Text of report by Iraqi radio on 25th November President Saddam Husayn has received Shaykh Fahd Bin-Muhammad Al Thani, dean of the ruling Al Thani family in Qatar, and his son Shaykh Muhammad Bin-Fahd Al Thani, head of Amiri protocol. Shaykh Fahd conveyed to the president the regards and greetings of His Highness Shaykh Hamad Bin-Khalifah Al Thani, amir of Qatar. The president welcomed his guest and wished him continued good health and a good stay in his second home, Iraq. The meeting was attended by the head of the Presidential Court, Ahmad Husayn Khudayir. ______________________________________________________ Iraqi minister on reasons for not attending Arab finance ministers' meeting. Text of report by Iraqi radio on 25th November Hikmat al-Azzawi, deputy prime minister and minister of finance, has said that Iraq's apology for not attending the Arab finance ministers' meeting, which was held in Cairo last week, is in line with its call for jihad, which was made by leader President Saddam Husayn, God watch over him. The jihad approach, Al-Azzawi added, is the only way to achieve the goals of the honourable sons of our glorified Arab nation in liberating the entire Palestinian territories, foremost of which is Holy Jerusalem. ______________________________________________________ Jordan's king opens parliament - pledges support for Palestinians, Iraq. King Abdullah II of Jordan has said the world community should support the Palestinians in their current conflict with Israel. In a speech opening parliament in Amman on 25th November, broadcast live by Jordanian TV, he said Jordan was committed to a "just, lasting and comprehensive peace" that would "restore the occupied land to its legitimate owners" in Syria, Lebanon and Palestine. On Iraq, he said Jordan supported an end to UN sanctions and would make every effort to "end the tribulation of this Arab country and lift the embargo on it, reaffirming our unwavering concern over Iraq's unity and the safety of its territory". Jordanian TV, November 25 ______________________________________________________ Iraq sends first flight to Syria in 20 years. DAMASCUS, Nov 25 (Reuters) - Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz arrived in Damascus on Saturday aboard the first direct Iraqi flight to Syria in nearly two decades, officials said. The flight is also believed to be the first to carry an Iraqi official outside the country since the United Nations imposed sanctions against Baghdad in 1990 because of Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. It follows Iraq's challenge to the U.N sanctions and the start of a flow of flights into Baghdad during the last few weeks. Speaking to reporters after talks with Syrian Foreign Minister Farouq al-Shara, Aziz repeated his government's views that the U.N. sanctions did not ban the air travel. Syria and Iraq, ruled by rival factions of the Baath Party, severed diplomatic ties after the outbreak of the 1980-1988 Iraq-Iran war in which Damascus sided with Tehran, but they agreed to restore relations and engage in economic cooperation three years ago. ______________________________________________________ MISCELLANY++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Dear Colleague I am forwarding, as requested, the following message from Dr Ziad Fahmi, Professor in rehabilitation, Germany: There will be a special flight carrying medicine from Frankfurt to Baghdad on 11th December returning to Frankfurt on the 14th. The flight is sponsored by a drug company in Germany, however, to reduce cost and ensure more funds is the directed to purchase medicine, passengers are welcome. The approximate cost of the ticket is in the region of 1300DM (equivalent to approximately £400 Sterling). Departure 11 December Frankfurt to Baghdad Return 14 December Baghdad - Frankfurt If you are interested, please contact Dr Ziad Fahmi DIRECTLY: Telephone: 0049 670 9552 Fax: 0049 671 482 0672 or 0049 171 544 552 _____________________________________________________ tel: +44 (0)20 7403 5200 fax: +44 (0)20 7403 3823 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] web: www.mariamappeal.com
