Pres. Gorbachev makes round of telephone calls to leaders of U.S., Britain, Germany, Egypt, France, and Italy to try to persuade them how close positions of Iraq and U.S. had become through Soviet...
Commander of Israeli Air Force, Maj. Gen. Avihu Bin-Nun, says U.S. and Israel still have no mechanisms in place to coordinate military activities, and that U.S. may not be able to give Israel...
6 1/2-hour Baker-Aziz talks in Geneva produce no results: Baker says he "heard nothing today that suggested to me any Iraqi flexibility," while Aziz says Baker's "language was diplomatic and...
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On his return fr. the U.S., PM Peres stops in Morocco to visit King Hassan. (QY 12/13, HA 12/14 in FBIS 12/14; MM 12/14, 12/15)
8 Hamas mbrs. (incl. Abu Musamih, `Abd al-Khaliq al-Natshe, Muhammad Abu Shama'a, Zahhar) travel fr. Gaza to Khartoum for 4 days of talks with diaspora Hamas leaders in advance of negotiations with the PA in Cairo 12/18-21. (MM, WT 12/13; IRNA [Tehran], VOP 12/13 in FBIS 12/14; MENA 12/16 in FBIS 12/18)
Syria releases 100's of Muslim Brothers, communists fr. jail, leaving only a handful of Muslim Brothers still in detention. (MM 12/15; RMC 12/17 in FBIS 12/18) (see 12/11)
Jordanian prosecutor general orders detention of Sawt al-Mar'ah chief editor for "slandering Iraqi president Saddam Hussein." (al-Dustur 12/18 in FBIS 12/19)
Saudi Arabia's Prince Khalid Bin Sultan calls for and end to sanctions on Iraq. (NYT 12/14)
U.S. State Dept. announces plans to fund $14m o.t. job-creation program. (MM, WT 5/5; WP 5/6)
At econ. devt. multilateral meeting in Rome, Palestinian delegate Samir Hulayleh says World Bank is studying a $ lb. o.t. aid package, to be implemented as part of autonomy agreement. (MM 5/4, 5/5; Ha'Aretz 5/5 in FBIS 5/6)
Israel presents Palestinians with proposal for mutual water usage, which head delegate Haydar 'Abd al-Shafi terms "an encouraging opening." (MM 5/5)
Four Nablus notables close to Fateh meet with Israeli Police Min. Moshe Shahal to discuss o.t. police force, recommend Jordanian-based Palestine Liberation Army for the job. (IDF Radio 5/4, Hadashot 5/5 in FBIS 5/5)
Israel presents Lebanon with first-ever proposal linking withdrawal according to UNSCR 425 with a peace treaty. Political powers are proposed for the joint military workingroup (a long-standing Israeli request). (MM 5/5; Davar 5/12 in FBIS 5/12; al-Safir 5/11 in FBIS 5/17)
UNLU calls on Palestinians to seal off o.t. from Israelis and settlers in retaliation for the unilateral cosure, in call no. 95. (Al Hamishmar 5/5 in FBIS 5/6)
DFLP chief Nayif Hawatima and Pres. Saddam Hussein meet in Baghdad, discuss opposition to Arab-Israeli peace talks. (RMC 5/5 in FBIS 5/6; Sawt al-Sha'b 5/9 in FBIS 5/10)
IDF shoots 3 Palestinians dead, wounds over 40, in the Gaza Strip. (MM 5/4; NYT, WP 5/5)
Israel, SLA shell Lebanese villages. (RFL, VOM 5/4 in FBIS 5/4)
Pres. Gorbachev makes round of telephone calls to leaders of U.S., Britain, Germany, Egypt, France, and Italy to try to persuade them how close positions of Iraq and U.S. had become through Soviet mediation efforts; Westem leaders respond that Iraq had not begun moving troops out of Kuwait by noon. Moscow says Iraq "lost the chance" to take advantage of Soviet efforts [NYT, WP 2/24].
Iraq fires SCUD missile at Israel 10 minutes before noon deadline; no injuries are reported [NYT 2/24; MET 3/5].
Pres. Bush says Iraq's failure to meet noon deadline leaves coalition forces "no alternative but to continue to prosecute the war" [NYT 2/24].
Allied troops move into Kuwait and Iraq in faster than expected ground advances; forces meet scattered resistance; allied casualties are "extremely light," with fewer than 20 U.S. soldiers being killed; over 5,500 Iraqi POWs are taken in 1st 10 hours of assault; after 22 hours Iraqi POW total is nearing 10,000 [WP 2/24; RIDS 2/24 in FBIS 2/25; NYT, LAT, WT, WP, CSM 2/25; MET 3/5].
Iran's Pres. Rafsanjani says U.S. is exceeding UN mandate in its pursuit of war with Iraq [NYT 2/24].
Egypt's gov't. publications for 1st time calls for Saddam Hussein to be overthrown [NYT 2/24]; Cairo students demonstrate against allied forces' ground war; security forces use tear gas to disperse marchers [RMC 2/24 in FBIS 2/25].
Commander of Israeli Air Force, Maj. Gen. Avihu Bin-Nun, says U.S. and Israel still have no mechanisms in place to coordinate military activities, and that U.S. may not be able to give Israel advance warning of mis- sile launches [NYT 1/16]; Bin-Nun also warns Jordan that should Israel be drawn into war, there is no way for his planes to approach Iraq except through Jordanian airspace [LAT, WP 1/16].
PLO reports that Hamza Abu Said, a dissident from Abu Nidal's Fateh Revolutionary Council, killed Abu lyad and two others; 3 Palestinians are killed and 30 wounded in clashes between IDF and Palestinians an- gered over assassinations; curfews are imposed to prevent further clashes; Israel says it had nothing to do with assassinations [AFP, JDS, IDF 1/15 in FBIS 1/15; NYT, WT, WP 1/16].
Saddam Hussein visits Iraqi troops in Kuwait [BADS 1/15 in FBIS 1/16; LAT 1/16].
Tens of thousands of anti-war protestors take to streets in Washington, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York, as well as elsewhere [LAT, WT, WP 1/16].
In strongest appeal since crisis began, King Fahd urges Saddam to "prove to the world that you are worthy of the responsibility you are shouldering in ruling Iraq" and leave Kuwait [LAT 1/16]; Sec.-Gen. Perez de Cuellar also issues statement making final appeal to Saddam to leave Kuwait [NYT, LAT, WT, WP 1/16].
Pres. Mubarak sends last-minute proposal to Saddam Hussein, also asks Pres. Bush to delay military option [RMC 1/15 in FBI 1/16; WP 1/16].
British House of Commons votes 534-57 to endorse gov't. policy of waging war against Iraq [WP 1/16].
6 1/2-hour Baker-Aziz talks in Geneva produce no results: Baker says he "heard nothing today that suggested to me any Iraqi flexibility," while Aziz says Baker's "language was diplomatic and polite . .. [b]ut the sub- stance was full of threats." Aziz says if attacked, Iraq will "absolutely" attack Israel; Aziz refuses to accept personal letter from Pres. Bush to Saddam Hussein, saying language used was not proper for world leaders. Iraqi embassy in Washington also refuses letter [INA 1/9 in FBIS 1/9; BADS, RMC, JTN 1/9, WAKH, MENA, BADS, DDS 1/10 in FBIS 1/10; MEM 1/9; NYT, LAT, WP, MEM 1/10].
Israel increases its military readiness in light of Geneva meeting [JDS 1/9 in FBIS 1/9]; Israeli politicians are lobbying Washington to destroy Iraqi military machine in war, arguing that if it is not done now, it will have to be done at greater cost in a few years [WP 1/10].
French Pres. Mitterrand says he will pursue peace through independent diplomatic efforts until UN deadline expires [NYT 1/10].
Lebanese P.M. Karami says in policy statement that he promises to disarm and disband all armed militias in country; although not mentioned specifically, his statement is taken to include Palestinian groups operating in Lebanon [NYT 1/10]
Karami's gov't. wins vote of confidence by majority of 37 votes [RFL 1/9 in FBIS 1/10].
Jordan closes its border with Iraq, saying it could not cope with another large flow of refugees into the country [ADS, RMC 1/9 in FBIS 1/9; MEM 1/9; NYT, WP 1/10].
International Popular Islamic Conference begins in Baghdad (cf. 1/11) [BADS 1/9 in FBIS 1/9].
Maghreban Consultative Council, parliamentary body of Arab Maghreb Union, concludes 3-day session, adopting resolution expressing solidarity with Iraq and condemning U.S. forces in region [MEM 1/9; MAP, JANA 1/10 in FBIS 1/11].
