>IRAQ SANCTIONS MONITOR Number 112 >Friday, August 25 2000 > >PLEASE NOTE THE MARIAM APPEAL HAS MOVED. >THE NEW CONTACT NUMBERS ARE: >TEL: +44 (0)20 7403 5200 >FAX: +44 (0)20 7 403 3823 > >Iraq protests to UN over Turkish bombing raid. >The Iraqi foreign minister has complained to the UN Security Council about >last week's Turkish bombing raids on Kurdish areas in northern Iraq. > >According to Baghdad radio on Thursday night, Foreign Minister Muhammad >Sa'id al-Sahhaf described the Turkish raids on 15th August on the villages >of Lulan, Khaznah, and Khatrah in the area of Sidikan, as an aggressive >criminal act. > >Sahhaf said in two letters of protest to the UN secretary general and the >Security Council president that 40 people were killed and many more wounded. > >"The Iraqi Government appeals to your excellencies to intercede and urge the >Turkish Government to halt such aggressions and practices which violate the >international law principles, the UN Charter, and the good-neighbourly >relations," Sahhaf said in the letters. > >"The Government of the Iraqi Republic categorically rejects the flimsy >pretexts and excuses provided by Turkey to justify its repeated aggressions. >Claiming that it pursues the elements that threaten the Turkish national >security does not allow Turkey to continue its aggressive policy which runs >counter to its claim that it is eager to maintain Iraq's sovereignty and >territorial integrity." > >Iraq reserved the right to seek compensation for the damage, he said. > >Source: Republic of Iraq Radio, Baghdad, in Arabic 24 Aug > > >Military spokesman says US F-14 jet was "downed", did not crash. >Text of report by Iraqi radio on 24th August > >An official spokesman for the Air Defence Command has said that the Central >Command of the US Army tried in vain to black out the heroic achievement of >the Iraqi Air Defence fighters on 26th July when they downed a US F-14 jet >inside Saudi territory. > >In a press briefing attended by correspondents of Arab and foreign news >agencies, media networks, Baghdad Republic of Iraq Television, Iraq >Satellite Channel, and the Iraqi news agency [INA], Maj-Gen Yasin Jasim, the >official spokesman of the Air Defence Command, added: The spokesman of the >Central Command of the US Army claimed that the plane crashed while on a >training mission, not as a result of the fire of the Iraqi defences. This US >claim is false. We, of course, do not expect the US spokesman to admit that >the plane was downed by the fire of the Iraqi air defences. We even expected >that the Americans would fabricate other excuses to justify the crash of >their plane. > >He added: With the aim of blacking out this heroic Iraqi achievement, the US >administration suspended the activities of these planes in the southern >sector for several days. We would not have asked why they suspended the air >activity of these planes for several days in the southern sector immediately >after the crash of their plane had the goal not been to reconsider and >reassess the efficiency of the valiant Iraqi air defences and their >capability of hitting this kind of planes. > >Concluding, he said: We know that we shot down their plane. Similarly, they >know that we shot down their plane. Yet, they deny this because they do not >want to harm the morale of their pilots who patrol the no-fly zones and who >are indeed fearful of flying in the Iraqi airspace, especially since some of >their planes where hit by the fire of the valiant Iraqi defences. > >Source: Republic of Iraq Radio, Baghdad, in Arabic 1800 gmt 24 Aug > > >Military spokesman details US, British "air sorties" on 23rd August. >Text of report by Iraqi radio on 24th August > >The ravens of the evil US, British and Zionist aggressors have returned to >conduct treacherous combat air sorties over our cities and our civilian and >services installations with the aim of harming the march of struggle of our >proud people. > >In a statement to the Iraqi news agency [INA], a military spokesman for the >Air Defence Command said that at 2030 [1630 GMT] yesterday, the Turkish >regime attacked the sanctity of our international airspace by assisting six >hostile formations of their US, British and Zionist bosses in carrying out >12 combat air sorties from the Turkish territories. The formations were >supported by AWACS planes from the Turkish airspace. > >The spokesman added that these ravens overflew areas in the governorates of >Dahuk and Arbil, which brings the number of combat air sorties carried out >by the enemy since the Day of Conquest on 17th December 1998 to 4720. The >total of combat air sorties carried out by the ravens from Saudi, Kuwaiti, >and Turkish airspace is 23,585. > > >Minister accuses US, UK envoys of "selectivity" in approving contracts. >Text of report by Iraqi satellite TV on 24th August > >Trade Minister Muhammad Mahdi Salih accused the US and British envoys on >Committee 661 of selectivity in approving food and medical supplies to Iraq. >In a statement to the correspondent of the Iraqi Satellite Channel Dawud >Kazim, the minister said this committee approves one item for one country >and one supplier and rejects the import of the same item from another >country or another supplier. This is in addition to obstructing the imports >of materials for potable water and electricity. > >[Salih - recording] This is one of the things contained in the Memorandum of >Understanding. The truth is that Committee 661 is powerless. The US and >British envoys are the ones who approve or reject [contracts]. The committee >is selective in its approval of the same item. It approves one country or >one supplier within this country and does not approve the same item for >another country. This characterizes most of the contracts of the Memorandum >of Understanding for all relevant ministries, and not only the Health >Ministry and Trade Ministry. Of course, this is part of a selective policy >in order to obstruct the flow of commodities to Iraq. The committee gives >the impression that it approved a certain commodity, but it does not approve >the same commodity for other countries, so that the flow of this commodity >to Iraq would be at a minimal level. > >This is a planned method as part of US and British policy to undermine the >use of Iraq's imports to provide the needs of its people. Otherwise, why do >the United States and Britain prevent the Iraqi people from getting clean >and potable water? Why do they prevent us from restoring the sewerage system >to the way it was prior to the blockade? The state has allocated huge sums >from oil revenues - more than 3.5bn dollars - for these three sectors >[water, sewerage] and electricity. However, what was delivered so far is not >more than 10 per cent of the total signed contracts. > >You know that food and medicine alone have no effect on improving the >standard of living of the people if the water is undrinkable. Therefore, >diseases will continue and the blockade will continue to result in higher >mortality rates. This is the essence of the genocide policy used by the >United States by imposing the blockade on Iraq. > >Source: Iraqi Satellite Channel, Baghdad, in Arabic 1600 gmt 24 Aug > > >Deputy premier terms US elections "piece of theatrics", "circus". >Text of report by Iraqi satellite TV on 24th August > >Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz described the US elections as a piece of >theatrics and a circus and that these elections make no difference to Iraq, >regardless of their outcome. The prime minister was at a meeting with >several members of the National Assembly that was attended by Arab and >foreign media. He said that Washington will have to change its policy >towards Iraq when it finds itself isolated and discovers that it has more to >lose from its stance on Iraq than it has to gain. > >[Aziz - recording] We, as well as many wise people and experts, have reached >the conclusion that we should not take what the candidates in the US >elections say seriously. Do not take any promises or threats they make >seriously because this is a piece of theatrics and a circus and these >elections make no difference to Iraq, regardless of their outcome. As far as >Iraq and the Arab world are concerned these are merely slogans. > >The Palestinian question is tens of years old and the Iraqi question is 10 >years old. In those 10 years, both a Republican and a Democratic Party came >to power. Either a Republican or a Democratic president will win this time. >Nothing has changed in those 10 years as far as we are concerned. I do not >believe that there will be any change regardless of whether a Democratic or >a Republican candidate is incumbent. There will only be change if the United >States feels obliged to do so because it has become isolated and discovers >that it has more to lose from its positions on Iraq than it has to gain. He >who will change the position will either be a republican or a democratic. In >the same way, he who does not change the position will either be a >republican or a democratic. > >We are not pinning any hope on the outcome of the US elections, neither are >we betting on any candidate. At the same time, I believe that if any Arab >official is betting on this or that candidate, he is mistaken. If he is also >spending money, such as those wealthy people who can afford to spend money >and spend it all or the greatest part of it instead of benefiting their >people and the Arab nation, then they are wasting their money. > >Source: Iraqi Satellite Channel, Baghdad, in Arabic 1600 gmt 24 Aug > > >Russian-Belarusian oil company delegation arrives in Iraq. >Source: ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow, in English 2149 gmt 22 Aug 00 >Text of report in English by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS >Cairo, 23rd August: A delegation of the Russo-Belarusian Slavneft Company, >led by [company] president Mikhail Gutseriyev, arrived in Baghdad on Tuesday >evening [22nd August]. >They will stay in Iraq for three days to meet with Deputy Prime Minister >Tariq Aziz, the oil minister and the chiefs of the Iraqi national oil >company. >A delegation of Slavneft visited Iraq in May for consultations about the >bilateral cooperation, the interaction under the oil for food programme >included. An office of Slavneft was opened in Baghdad not long ago. > > >Iraq seeks Arab backing to allow planes via their airspace en route to >Baghdad. >Source: Iraqi Satellite Channel, Baghdad, in Arabic 1600 gmt 22 Aug 00 >Text of report by Iraqi satellite TV on 22nd August >Vice-President Taha Yasin Ramadan has said that Iraq is consulting a number >of neighbouring countries to consider the possibility of allowing planes >that want to land in Iraq to go through their airspace. > >In a news conference held at the Iraqi National Assembly and attended by >Arab and foreign reporters, the vice-president said that Iraq hoped there >would be a quick Arab reaction to the landing of the Russian plane which >inaugurated Saddam International Airport. > >[Ramadan - recording] You already know the advantage that the Russians have >as far as civil aviation is concerned. They made the decision to send direct >flights to Iraq some time ago. What is stopping them is the fact that there >is no direct route that allows them to reach Baghdad. You remember that two >years ago a Russian plane landed and it sat in [word indistinct] for three >days. The Iranians downed it and would not let it fly. These are the >advocates of Islam and they said that they need the approval of the [UN] >Committee 661. This time, too, the Russian aviation asked Iran to only allow >them to pass through their airspace and they declined. > >What is stopping Russian airlines from flying regular flights to Baghdad - >and this was the decision of the Russian leadership and now this decision >has been consolidated - is neighbouring states. Right now we want to work >with some neighbouring states to resolve the matter. > >Certainly, this will reflect to some extent - we hope - on the rest of the >Arab brothers. Someone said that the Venezuelan president's visit was a slap >in the face [of the Americans] and we hoped that there would some Arab >reaction to this visit, but the reaction did not come from the Arabs. It >came from the others. > >Anyway, everyone is free to react the way they want to and to adopt the >position they want. So will non-Arab airlines begin flights to Baghdad in >reaction to the Russian move? If you ask me, I would say that I wish the >reaction would be Arab. But so far, all that we wished for has not come >true. Nevertheless, we always hope for the best, especially from our Arab >nation. > > >Iraqi officer says buried Saudi pilot's body. >BAGHDAD, Aug 24 (Reuters) - An Iraqi army officer was quoted on Thursday as >saying that he had buried the remains of a Saudi pilot in an Iraqi minefield >after his plane was shot down during the Gulf War in 1991. > >"I saw on February 13, 1991 a Saudi Tiger-F5 plane burning...after it was >hit by our armed forces," Yousif Saeed Saleh, a retired Iraqi army officer, >told the weekly newspaper al-Zawra. > >Saleh said when the plane fell to the ground, he found and buried the >remains of the pilot's body. > >Saleh told the paper, owned by President Saddam Hussein's eldest son Uday, >that he returned to the area in May 1997 and found the wreckage of the plane >was still there. He brought parts of the wreckage to Baghdad where they were >photographed by experts from the International Committee of the Red Cross >(ICRC). > >Zawra also showed pictures of some of the parts of the downed plane. > >Baghdad informed Saudi Arabia in 1997 through the Red Cross that it had >found the wreckage of the Saudi plane and that an Iraqi officer who had >buried the pilot's body in a desert minefield had come forward. > >Last July Riyadh approved a plan by the ICRC to search for the body of Saudi >pilot Colonel Mohammed Nazerah. >Tension between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, which housed the U.S.-led >multinational forces that ejected Iraqi troops from Kuwait in 1991, has >risen since Saddam lashed out at Riyadh and Kuwait in a televised address >two weeks ago. >Saddam accused the two Gulf states of directly taking part in continued U.S. >and British air raids against targets in southern and northern Iraqi no-fly >zones. > > >Iraq Sep oil prices approved, but no Euro prices yet. >NEW YORK, Aug 24 (Reuters) - The United Nations on Thursday approved prices >for Iraqi crude shipped to the United States and the Far East in the >oil-for-food programme, a U.N. spokesman said. > >Iraq by Thursday had not submitted to the United Nations prices for >Europe-bound Iraqi crude shipped in September, the spokesman said. > >This is the first time since Iraq began exporting oil in the oil-for-food >programme in December 1996 that it has not submitted monthly prices for all >destinations of its crude oil at the same time. > >Iraq's State Oil Marketing Organisation (SOMO) has since June adjusted its >oil prices about three times each month after issuing only montly price >changes since the programme began. >The U.N.'s oil-sale overseer says that this is in response to the volatile >crude oil market, especially in the Mediterranean, where Russian Urals >prices have fluctuated wildly. > >SOMO is expected to submit prices for September Europe-bound crude in the >next several days, an industry source said. >The following prices will be effective Sept. 1: >BASRAH TO U.S.: 2nd-month WTI - $6.70; down 20 cents. >KIRKUK TO U.S.: 1st-month WTI - $5.50; unchanged. >BASRAH TO FAR EAST: Oman/Dubai - $1.10; down 60 cents. > >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 >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- >--------------------- > > >MISCELLANY______ > >HEART-WRENCHING HIGHWAY 101 BILLBOARD CALLS FOR THE END OF IRAQ SANCTIONS~~~ > >THOUSANDS OF SAN FRANCISCO COMMUTERS TO SEE HUMAN FACE OF U.S. POLICY ON >IRAQ > >On August 28, a billboard calling attention to the destructive human impact >of the sanctions on Iraq will go up at one of the Bay Area's most heavily >traversed stretches of Highway 101, above Grand Avenue exit just south of >San Francisco. > >The paid advertisement features the face of a four year old girl with the >statement, "Sanctions are destroying my generation," along with a quote from >UNICEF reports stating that 5,000 Iraqi children die every month as a direct >result of the sanctions on Iraq. > >A press conference, announcing the debut of the billboard, will be held at >the Iraqi Center at 10:30 AM, August 28. The press conference, presented by >the sponsor of the billboard, the American Arab Anti-Discrimination >Committee (ADC), San Francisco Chapter, will include comments by Hala >Maksoud, national president of the ADC. > >Ten years after crippling UN sanctions were first imposed on Iraq, the >continued policy of sanctions has proved to be, according to the most recent >UN report, a "humanitarian disaster comparable to the worst catastrophes of >the past decades." > >The billboard comes amid a growing international movement to end the >sanctions on Iraq. Recently, hundreds of protesters in San Francisco and >thousands more in Washington D.C and Los Angeles called upon US political >leaders to change the policy that has, according to UN reports, resulted in >over one million deaths in Iraq. Former UN humanitarian coordinators Denis >Halliday and Hans Von Sponeck both resigned in protest of the santions that >have brought starvation, sickness, and death to an entire generation of >Iraqi civilians. Statements by the Vatican, former UN weapons inspector >Scott Ritter, and international human rights organizations have also echoed >the growing concern that the sanctions on Iraq are ineffective and inhumane. > > >To download image of billboard, visit: http://www.endthesanctions.org > >________________________________________________________ > >On 10 March 2000 "the Secretary-General appointed 16 Commissioners for the >United Nations Monitoring, Verification, and Inspection Commission >(UNMOVIC). In accordance with Security Council resolution 1284 of 17 >December 1999, the Secretary-General, in consultation with the Executive >Chairman of UNMOVIC and the members of the Security Council, is requested to >appoint suitably qualified experts as a College of Commissioners for >UNMOVIC. The Commissioners will meet regularly to review the implementation >of Security Council resolution 1284 (1999) and other relevant resolutions, >and provide professional advice and guidance to the Executive Chairman, >including on significant policy decisions and on written reports to be >submitted to the Council through the Secretary-General." (Press Release, >SG/A/724IK/289, "SECRETARY-GENERAL APPOINTS 16 COMMISSIONERS FOR UN >MONITORING, VERIFICATION AND INSPECTION COMMISSION" ><http://www.un.org/peace/20000310.sga724.doc.htm>) > >Note especially that "Commissioners will meet regularly to review the >implementation of Security Council resolution 1284 (1999) and other relevant >resolutions, and provide professional advice and guidance to the Executive >Chairman, including on significant policy decisions and on written reports >to be submitted to the Council through the Secretary-General." > >Given that Commissioners can guide "policy" "implementation" and decisions", >it is worth noting the following: the Commission's lone U.S. citizen, Robert >Einhorn, was formerly the Assistant Secretary of State, Non-Proliferation >Affairs, United States Department of State. Einhorn was not just a >non-proliferation analyst, researcher or expert: he was, to a certain >extent, part of the upper-level non-proliferation policy team. And as such, >he probably came in regular contact with other upper-level State Department >officials. Those officials most likely included those who actively and >publicly implement the current Administration's Iraq policy. E.g., Edward >S. Walker, Jr., Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs; and >C. David Welch, Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization >Affairs. > >Even though "All the [UNMOVIC] members work directly for the United Nations, >not for their own countries as before [when UNSCOM existed and operated", >(United Press International, "U.N. Readies Inspection Team for Iraqi >Weapons", 22 August 2000), perhaps there still ought to be concern that an >ex-upper-level State Department Official is now on the UNMOVIC Commission. >After all, while the State Department may not actually formulate U.S. Iraq >policy, it is the primary public face for an Iraq policy that has several >public components that have little to do with the UN Security Council >resolutions or disarmament: > >1. Removing the regime (Iraq Liberation Act) >2. Maintaining sanctions until S. Hussein is no longer in power (E.g., >President Clinton's statement that "sanctions will be there until the end of >time or as long as he lasts" (The White House, Office of the Press >Secretary, Remarks by the President in Bilateral Meeting with President >Zedillo of Mexico, The Oval Office 14 November 1997, 10:20 A.M. ><http://www.pub.whitehouse.gov/uri-res/I2R?urn:pdi://oma.eop.gov.us/1997/11/ >19/8.text.1> > >To read statements by or about Robert Einhorn, do a search at: > >The State Department Homepage- <http://www.state.gov/> > >Northernlight.com- <http://www.northernlight.com/> > >Keywords: "Robert Einhorn" or "Robert Einhorn and Iraq" > > >tel: +44 (0)20 78725451 >fax: +44 (0)20 77532731 >email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >web: www.mariamappeal.com > > > > > > >-------------------------- eGroups Sponsor -------------------------~-~> >How does this life work? >Courses, consultations and free lectures online. >http://click.egroups.com/1/8671/3/_/22961/_/967223449/ >---------------------------------------------------------------------_-> > >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. 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