In Damascus, F.M.s of GCC nations, Egypt and Syria reach agreement on new postwar defense arrangements in Gulf built around Egyptian and Syrian forces [MEM 3/5; WP, WT, MEM 3/6; NYT, LAT, WT 3/7;...
Sec. Baker proposes new Middle East bank for reconstruction and development to collect funds from region's richest countries to rebuild Iraq and support programs for area's neediest [LAT, WP 2/8...
U.S. accuses Iraq of releasing millions of gallons of Kuwaiti crude oil into Gulf; officials say it will have little military significance, but threatens ecology on scale larger than Exxon Valdez...
Iraqi television broadcasts interviews with 7 allied pilots shot down and taken prisoner; Pentagon officials believe pilots' statements to be coerced [INA, ATS 1/20 in FBIS 1/22; NYT, LAT, WT, WP...
Pres. Bush, saying he is making "one last attempt" to avoid war in Gulf, proposes Sec. Baker meet with Iraqi F.M. Aziz between 1/7 and 1/9 in Geneva [MEM 1/3; NYT, WP, WT, LAT, WP 1/4].
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In Damascus, F.M.s of GCC nations, Egypt and Syria reach agreement on new postwar defense arrangements in Gulf built around Egyptian and Syrian forces [MEM 3/5; WP, WT, MEM 3/6; NYT, LAT, WT 3/7; DDS 3/5 in FBIS 3/6; DDS 3/6 in FBIS 3/7; MET 3/19].
Republican Guard tank and infantry brigades loyal to Saddam Hussein attack rebel positions in Basra; opposition leaders say at least 6 Iraqi cities are still controlled by rebels; thousands of refugees flee the violence; Bush admin. says it has no intention of getting involved in the rebellion [LAT, WP, WT 3/6; IRNA, AFP 3/5 in FBIS 3/5].
U.S. and Kuwaiti experts say it may take almost 2 years to extinguish about 550 Kuwaiti oil wells that have been set ablaze, and at least 5 years before the country's oil export facilities are fully restored [LAT, NYT, WP 3/6; CSM 3/7].
Iraq hands over what it calls its last POWs, releasing 35 allies, including 15 Americans, to the Red Cross; up to 26 journalists are still missing in southern Iraq [MEM 3/5; NYT, LAT, WP, WT, CSM 3/6; BADS 3/5 in FBIS 3/5; MET 3/19].
Pentagon updates U.S. casualty toll in Gulf war to 115 dead and 330 wounded. Tens of thousands of Iraqis are believed to have been killed [LAT 3/6].
Pentagon also says that tens of thousands of U.S. troops will have to stay in Gulf region for several months [NYT 3/6].
France begins withdrawing its forces from region; pullout expected to take until September [MEM 3/5].
In letter from F.M. Aziz to Sec.-Gen. Perez de Cuellar, Iraq renounces its annexation of Kuwait and promises to return hundreds of millions of dollars worth of looted property [LAT, NYT 3/6; INA 3/5 in FBIS 3/6; MET 3/19].
Food, water, and electricity remain scarce in Kuwait City, but 2,700-man allied task force is hoping to alleviate worst of problems within days [LAT, WT 3/6].
Kuwaiti gov't places Kuwait City under 10 P.M. to 4 A.M. curfew [AFP, KUNA 3/5 in FBIS 3/6; MET 3/19].
House Appropriations Committee votes to give Israel $650 million to cover costs associated with Gulf war, and approves $42.6-billion down payment of Operation Desert Storm [NYT, LAT, WP, WT, MEM 3/6].
Doctors in Kuwait City say that in the last 5 days they have treated scores of Palestinians who had been severely beaten and in some cases shot. U.S. military reports that 7 Kuwaiti soldiers manning checkpoints have been shot to death by people in passing vehicles [NYT 3/6].
Amnesty International warns of the risk of reprisal killings against Palestinians and other Arabs, urges that Red Cross be given access to all detainees in Kuwait [MEM 3/5; FJ 3/1].
In 1st postwar policy statement, King Fahd predicts Saddam Hussein will meet an ominous end as "all tyrants" in the Arab world have before him [NYT, MEM 3/6].
Israeli Immigration Min. Yitzhak Peretz expresses concern over small number of recent Soviet Jewish immigrants who, dissatisfied with high standard of living and limited employment opportunities, are emigrating to Canada, Australia, and Germany [WT 3/6].
Sec. Baker proposes new Middle East bank for reconstruction and development to collect funds from region's richest countries to rebuild Iraq and support programs for area's neediest [LAT, WP 2/8].
U.S. ambassador to Jordan Roger Harrison meets with For. Affairs Min. Taher Masri to protest King Hussein's 2/6 speech; P.M. Shamir also tells reporters that speech "worries us, because he is our neighbor" [LAT 2/8]; Bush admin. says it is reviewing all economic aid granted by U.S. to Jordan [MEM 2/7; NYT, WP, WT 2/8].
Pentagon wants access to Syrian airspace to help wage war against Iraq, but White House has declined to push Syria for permission, according to admin. officials [NYT 2/8].
For 1st time since war began, Israeli commandos move north from "security zone" in Lebanon to strike at Palestinian bases; Israeli gov't. warns that incursions would continue unless Lebanese Army ejects "terrorist organizations" from region [NYT 2/8].
U.S. accuses Iraq of releasing millions of gallons of Kuwaiti crude oil into Gulf; officials say it will have little military significance, but threatens ecology on scale larger than Exxon Valdez disaster. Pres. Bush says spill is "sick" act of desperation, orders Pentagon to find way to stop leak [WAKH 1/26 in FBIS 1/28; NYT, LAT 1/26].
Iraqi SCUD missile hits Riyadh, killing 1 person and wounding 6; 7 missiles are fired at Israel, all are reportedly intercepted by Patriot missiles, but falling debris kills 1 and injures 42 others [RIDS, JAA, IDF 1/25 in FBIS 1/28; NYT, LAT 1/26].
New York Times reports that Pan American World Airways has refused to carry Iraqi passengers since 1/16, for fear of terrorism like that which destroyed Pan Am flight over Lockerbie 2 years ago [NYT 1/26].
Iranian Pres. Rafsanjani restates neutrality in Gulf war; strongly rejects idea that Iran join with Iraq, saying that would be suicide and would mean Iran approved of Iraq remaining in Kuwait [NYT 1/26].
Soviet F.M. Alexander Bessmertnykh meets with members of PLO Executive Committee to explore ways to end Gulf war [LAT 1/26].
EC lifts all restrictions on Israel because of its restraint under Iraqi missile attack; restrictions were imposed in January 1990 to protest closure of Palestinian schools [MEM 1/25].
Iraqi television broadcasts interviews with 7 allied pilots shot down and taken prisoner; Pentagon officials believe pilots' statements to be coerced [INA, ATS 1/20 in FBIS 1/22; NYT, LAT, WT, WP 1/21].
Iraq launches barrage of at least 9 SCUD missiles at Dhahran and Riyadh; most or all are shot down by Patriot anti-missile defenses [SPA 1/20 in FBIS 1/22; NYT, LAT, WT, WP 1/21].
U.S. command concludes that after 4 days of bombardment, most of Iraq's air force has escaped serious damage; however, future role Iraqi planes can take in war is viewed by U.S. as limited [NYT, WT 1/21]; U.S. also says that Iraqi nuclear facilities have been heavily bombed; light allied losses are credited to early strikes against Iraqi radar [WP 1/21].
U.S. airlift delivers to Israel 2 Patriot anti-missile defense systems and U.S. crewmen to operate them. U.S. also sends carrier USS Forrestal to eastern Mediterranean to help Israel should Iraq send war planes at Tel Aviv; Israel says it did not request carrier, and its presence "could only be for purposes unrelated to Israel" [IDF 1/20 in FBIS 1/23; NYT, LAT, WT, WP 1/21].
Beginning visit to Algeria, Yasir Arafat reiterates linkage between Gulf war and Palestinian issue; calls for Arabs to stop fighting each other [AVP, AGS 1/20 in FBIS 1/22].
Saddam Hussein replies to Pres. Gorbachev's 1/18 letter; says U.S. committed aggression, that Pres. Bush has grudge against Arabs [INA 1/21 in FBIS 1/22].
Pres. Bush, saying he is making "one last attempt" to avoid war in Gulf, proposes Sec. Baker meet with Iraqi F.M. Aziz between 1/7 and 1/9 in Geneva [MEM 1/3; NYT, WP, WT, LAT, WP 1/4].
Libyan leader Qaddafi predicts Iraq will leave Kuwait to avoid international "catastrophe"; Qaddafi hosts hastily arranged 3-hour meeting with Pres. Mubarak, Pres. Asad, and Sudanese leader Omar Bashir to discuss Gulf crisis [MENA 1/3 in FBIS 1/3; DDS, SANA, RMC, JANA 1/3 in FBIS 1/4; MEM 1/3; WP, WT, LAT 1/4].
Sources in Algerian gov't. say Saddam has sought guarantees before evacuating Kuwait that Iraq will not be attacked subsequently by U.S. or Israel [WP 1/4].
Group of international judges say UN Sec. Council resolution authorizing use of force against Iraq is invalid because China, as a permanent member, had not backed it. Judges cite Article 27 of UN Charter as saying decisions of the Council require "affirmative vote" of all 5 permanent members [WT 1/4].
Citing national security and Iraqi threats, Britain expels 8 Iraqi embassy staff members and 67 other Iraqi nationals [NYT, WP, WT, LAT, MEM 1/4].
Guido de Marco, president of UN Gen. Assembly and 1st to visit o.t., witnesses stones being thrown at Israeli troops and soldiers answering with tear gas and rubber bullets during visit to Jabaliya camp [WP, WT 1/4].
Israeli troops shoot dead Palestinian and wound 6 others in Gaza; military reports soldiers chased masked Palestinians in Khan Yunis and opened fire when they would not halt [WT 1/4].
Pentagon reports number of Iraqi troops in and near Kuwait has grown to over 530,000 and multinational force arrayed against them now totals more than 580,000 [NYT 1/4].
Jerusalem court sentences reserve army Lt. Col. Yair Klein to 12 months in prison, suspends him for 3 years, and fines him $75,000 for training armed groups linked to drug barons in Columbia [JPD 1/4 in FBIS 1/4; WP 1/4].
Syrian D.M. and deputy P.M. Gen. Mustafa Talas arrives in Riyadh for meetings with Saudi defense officials [SPA, RIDS 1/3 in FBIS 1/4].
