Under intense pressure to help Kurdish refugees fleeing Iraqi anny, Pres. Bush orders Air Force transports to begin, on 4/7, dropping food, blankets, and clothing to refugee stations along northern border. Bush says he expects Iraq to "permit this effort to be carried out without interference." Other aid is promised by Bush to Turkey and Iran (cf. 4/7) [NYT, WP, LAT 4/6].
Iraq offers 1 week of amnesty for Kurds and army deserters (cf. 4/11) [MEM 4/5; NYT, WP 4/6; MET 4/16].
Taking up issue of rebels in Iraq, UN Sec. Council votes 10-3, with 2 abstentions to condemn Saddam Hussein's oppression of Kurds and other civilians, and to ask Sec.- Gen. to investigate their plight. Cuba, Zimbabwe, and Yemen vote against resolution, while China and India abstain [NYT, WP, LAT 4/6].
GCC nations, laying groundwork for aid program for Egypt and Syria that will tie the countries economically, allocates $5 billion as initial installment; GCC officials say as much as $15 billion could be spent [WP 4/6].
IDF shoots dead Nablus youth during stone throwing clash; 3 Gazans are wounded in separate clash [LAT 4/6; MEM, FJ 4/8].