Arabic News Weekly Edition for Iraq, 2/23/1998
Weekly Edition, Iraq - Week of February 23, 1998
- Iraqi opposition expects renewal of crisis
Iraqi opposition representatives in Damascus agreed that the crisis over inspecting "presidential" sites in Iraq is not yet over, despite Iraq's signed argeement with the United Nations. Iraq-Syria, Politics, 2/28/1998 - Kurd groups continue peace talks
In a five-hour meeting, representatives of the two rival Kurdish factions reviewed the implementation of their previous decisions. In the course of their two earlier rounds of talks held on February 12 and 19, they decided to release all the prisoners of war captured by of parties. Iraq, Local, 2/28/1998 - Egyptian film week in Baghdad
They will also highlight the role of art in solving the Iraqi issue and discuss how an actor can deliver a message through his art, presenting solutions for the current situation in the Arab region. Iraq-Egypt, Culture, 2/28/1998 - Iraq resumes celebrating victory
Iraq resumed celebrating its agreement with the United Nations, praising it as a victory against the United States and a big step toward lifting the sanctions. Iraq, Politics, 2/28/1998 - Tasluja Cement Factory set in operation
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, one of the two main Kurdish parties controlling Iraqi Kurdistan since the Gulf War ended in 1991, announced that it could put Tasluja Cement Factory, in Sulaymaniya, northern Iraq in action. Iraq, Local, 2/28/1998 - An emirate compaign to support Iraq United Arab Emirates-Iraq, Economics, 2/28/1998
- Chirac shows strong commitment to Iraq on accord
Russia reiterated its rejection of the use of force against Baghdad, noting it will resume arms shipments to Iran if Iraq is exposed to a US aggression. Iraq, International, 2/27/1998 - Reconciliation between Iraq and Kuwait to take place
The Iraqi newspaper El-Zawraa said the head of the Arab Parliamentary Union made communications between Iraq and Kuwait aiming to initiate a reconciliation very soon. Kuwait-Iraq, International, 2/27/1998 - Celebrating their seventh liberation anniversary, Kuwaitis call for releasing missing Kuwaitis in Iraq Kuwait-Iraq, Politics, 2/27/1998
- Iraq has not received spare parts for pipeline maintenance Iraq, Economics, 2/27/1998
- 100 electrical transformers arrived into the Kurdish area Iraq, Economics, 2/27/1998
- Capitulation by Iraq or conflict to come?
Despite the general positive international reception the UN-brokered agreement regarding the UN-US-Iraqi crisis over weapons inspections has received, there remain many issues that have not been clarified, and those issues may contain the seeds of the next standoff between the US and Iraq. Iraq, Analysis, 2/26/1998 - Iraqi - Kuwaiti disagreement over sanctions report
There were sharp disputes between the Iraqi delegation, headed by Iraq's representative to the Arab League and the Kuwaiti delegation Regional-Iraq, Politics, 2/25/1998 - Sheikha Fatima send donations to Iraq
Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, wife of President Zayed Bin Sultan al-Nahyan of the UAE, on Tuesday called for humanitarian aid to be sent to Iraq. United Arab Emirates-Iraq, People, 2/25/1998 - France for lifting sanctions imposed on Iraq Iraq, International, 2/25/1998
- Jordan's Crown Prince calls for focus on Mid East problems
"We hope that the days ahead after the agreements have been read and absorbed will be days in which the international community will continue in a comprehensive manner to look at all the region's problems," he said. Jordan-Iraq, Politics, 2/25/1998 - US's Richardson bombs the agreement?
The agreement, according to US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, is committed to total access, saying "UNSCOM will test thoroughly and comprehensively" Iraq's compliance to the agreement. Iraq, International, 2/24/1998 - Maan is calm: al-Ayan accuses Iraq of inciting riots
"A medical report issued following an autopsy showed that the kind of the bullet that killed a Maani resident during the recent pre-Saddam Hussein protests was not used by the military troops or security men," Jordan's King Hussein stated. Jordan-Iraq, Local, 2/24/1998 - Clinton, Mubarak discuss UN-Iraq accord, ME peace
President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt on Tuesday received a phone call from US President Bill Clinton dealing with the results of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's visit to Iraq. Iraq-Egypt, International, 2/24/1998 - Moussa: Iraq agreement creates optimism
Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa said that the agreement reached between Iraq and the U.N. aims at easing the tension in the Gulf region and that it is an essential step toward satisfying international legitimacy demands. Egypt-Iraq, Politics, 2/24/1998 - Iraq poses no threat to neighbors: UAE
In a statement Sheikh Zayed added that directing a strike against Iraq is bad and loathsome and would inflict endless problems and damage relations between the West and the Arabs and Muslims. United Arab Emirates-Iraq, Politics, 2/24/1998 - Jordan welcomes the deal between Iraq and the UN
King Hussein of Jordan welcomed the deal and said, " The efforts in the next stage should focus on direct contact between the concerned countries to address the issue of sanctions imposed on Iraq following the invasion of Kuwait by Saddam's forces in 1990." Jordan-Iraq, Politics, 2/24/1998 - Meguid expresses optimism toward U.N - Iraqi agreement
Meguid said that the political solution to the crisis will avoid a dangerous situation in the Middle East region that would have led to a disaster threatening the whole area. Regional-Iraq, Politics, 2/24/1998 - EU humanitarian aid to Iraq
The spokesman added that the Humanitarian Affairs Commission in the European Union will make a new evaluation of Iraq's humanitarian needs by the end of 1998. Iraq, International, 2/24/1998 - King Hussein, President Clinton discuss UN-Iraq accord Iraq-Jordan, International, 2/24/1998
- Kuwaitis freed Jordan-Iraq, Politics, 2/24/1998
- Mubarak hopes UN-Iraq agreement to be final solution to crisis Iraq, International, 2/24/1998
- A collective funeral for more Iraqi children
Iraq on Saturday held a collective funeral for 63 children, who all died as a result of UN sanctions which deprived them of medicine and nutrition. Iraq, Culture, 2/24/1998 - Iraq's deputy premier accuses Britain of not committing itself to obligations
Aziz said the history of the region and since the first World War has proven that successive British governments did not commit themselves to obligations concerning Arab nations. Iraq, International, 2/24/1998 - Awaiting approval of UN - Iraq agreement
Annan said, "When and how soon I cannot say, referring to the lifting of the sanctions, but he added that, "The way we have discussed this problem, our determination to improve cooperation, to enhance the work of UNSCOM, and accelerate the process, we will be seeing light at the end of the tunnel." Iraq, International, 2/23/1998 - Moussa: US will approve agreement
Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa said on Monday that he expects the United States to approve the agreement reached between UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Iraq concerning the current crisis over weapons inspections. Iraq, International, 2/23/1998 - Iranian official: Our forces are on alert
The assistant Iranian foreign minister for African and Arab affairs, Mohammed Sader, said Iranian forces are on alert because of the circumstances in the region. Iraq-Iran, Politics, 2/23/1998 - Crisis averted: Clinton approves UN-Iraq deal Iraq, International, 2/23/1998
- Large demonstrations in Egyptian universities
Thousands of students from Cairo, Ein Shams, al-Azhar, Helwan, Mansour and Zagzig Universities joined in large demonstrations against the United States, while Egyptian police took measures outside the universities' parameters to prevent students from marching into the streets. Egypt-Iraq, Local, 2/23/1998 - Israeli planes land in Turkey to attack Baghdad if missiles fired on Israel Iraq, International, 2/23/1998
- Bahrainis protest US envoy's statements on threat to Iraq
US State Department envoy David Newton on Sunday was met with anti-US slogans and denunciation saying that the US only seeks to kill the people of Iraq while speaking at a symposium in Manama to justify the use of force against Iraq. Bahrain-Iraq, International, 2/23/1998 - Al-Sahaf informed Syrian counterpart on results of Annan' s talks Iraq, International, 2/23/1998
- Jordan concerned about demonstrations
Hinting at the decision to ban all demonstrations in Jordan, Majali said that the government would not allow anyone to bypass legal and constitutional channels when questioning the government about its decisions and measures. Jordan-Iraq, Politics, 2/23/1998