Tareq Aziz violates the air embargo to Damascus
Iraq-Syria, Politics, 11/27/2000

The Iraqi vice- President Tareq Aziz arrived on Sunday in India in a sudden visit after a short visit he had made to China to which he arrived following a visit to Damascus where he had arrived earlier on Sunday, to be the first Iraqi official who travels from his country by air since the embargo was imposed on Iraq in August 1990. This was, however, a clear indication on the collapse of the air embargo against Iraq and the vast détente in the Syrian- Iraqi relations.

The air flight between Damascus and Baghdad was the first of its kind outside Iraq, with the exception of the Iraqi pilgrims flights at al-Haj season. The air flight was also the first from Iraq to Syria since 20 years.

Aziz visited China at an official invitation of the Chinese government.

The Chinese government prevented journalists from covering news of Aziz's arrival at Beijing airport.

However, Chinese- Iraqi relations have witnessed great improvement in recent years. While Baghdad pins great hope on the role played by China, the UN Security Council permanent member state, China seeks to strengthen its oil relations with Iraq and to strengthen its influence in the Middle East region. At the UN China has always sought to accelerate the siege imposed on Iraq, because of its invasion of Kuwait in August 2nd, 1990.

In his visit to Damascus, Aziz denied that Iraq has violated the sanctions in starting to pump oil to Syria through an already maintained oil pipeline, the Iraqi official held talks with the Syrian foreign minister Farouk al-Shara.

On Saturday, the Iraqi airline office was opened in Damascus for the first time since it was closed off in 1982. The office was opened by the Iraqi transport and communications ministry secretary Jamil Ibrahim. The office will provide services to Iraqi and Syrian passengers until organizing regular flights between the two countries.

Previous Stories:
  Al-Assad meets with Iraqi delegation   (11/10/2000)
  A Syrian committee to lift the embargo imposed on Iraq   (11/7/2000)
  The Iraqi- Syrian oil pipeline will be ready within three days   (11/3/2000)

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