The Palestine Chronology

U.S. military begins to transfer responsibility to the UN for major Kurdish relief effort as separate violent incidents involving allies, Iraqi troops, and Kurdish demonstrators occur [MEM 5/13; WP, NYT, LAT 5/14].

Meeting in Cairo, Soviet F.M. Bessmertnykh tells Sec. Baker that Moscow would be reluctant to support larger UN security role to protect Kurdish refugees [WP, NYT, LAT, MEM 5/14; MENA 5/13 in FBIS 5/13]. Bessmertnykh then flies to Saudi Arabia for meeting with King Fahd [SPA 5/13 in FBIS 5/14].

Washington Post reports on West Bank village of Artas, the villagers of which, while under curfew during the Gulf war, had most of their agricultural lands confiscated by Israeli authorities [WP 5/14].

Bush admin. has prepared arms control plan that would ban Israel from producing nuclear material for weapons and would require Arab nations in Middle East to give up chemical weapons, according to admin. officials [NYT 5/14].

Senior U.S. military officials report American planes are using new night-flying tactic to destroy as many as 200 Iraqi tanks a day [NYT 2/18].

Iraqi F.M. Aziz arrives in Moscow for talks with Soviet leaders about Baghdad's highly conditional offer to withdraw from Kuwait; White House offers little hope for diplomatic solution [NYT, LAT, WP, WT 2/18].

Israel's ambassador to U.S. apologizes for 2/14 criticism of U.S. economic aid to Israel (cf. 2/18) [JTN 2/17 in FBIS 2/19; WP 2/18; WJW 2/21].

UNLU issues addendum to its call no. 67, in which it reaffirms support for Iraq's 2/15 cease-fire proposal (cf. 2/22) [AVP 2/18 in FBIS 2/19].

About 5,000 anti-war protestors march in New York City as talk of ground war intensifies [NYT 2/18].

Gov't. of Kuwait has hired U.S. lobbying firm of Neill & Co. to help smooth relations with Congress, deflect criticism of extravagant lifestyles of wealthy Kuwaitis, and ensure continued support for Kuwait [LAT 2/18].