TFK102:GOI OFFICIAL POSITION ON KUWAITI INVASION

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 04436



E.O. 12356:N/A

TAGS: PREL IZ KU

SUBJ: TFK102:GOI OFFICIAL POSITION ON KUWAITI

INVASION



1. UPON CONCLUSION OF CHARGE'S MEETING WITH MFA

UNDERSECRETARY HAMDUN, MFA NOTETAKER HANDED

CHARGE GOI OFFICIAL STATEMENT STATING THAT

IRAQI AMBASSADOR TO WASHINGTON AL-MASHAT HAD JUST

READ STATEMENT OVER CNN (WHICH MFA MONITORS).



2. THE FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF THE STATEMENT:



BEGIN QUOTE:

THE POSITION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC

OF IRAQ ON THE RECENT DEVELOPMENT IN KUWAIT IS

AS FOLLOWS:



1. THE EVENTS CURRENTLY OCCURING IN KUWAIT ARE

AN INTERNAL AFFAIRS WITH WHICH IRAQ HAS NO RELATION.



2. THE INTERIM FREE GOVERNMENT HAS ASKED IRAQI

GOVERNMENT TO EXTEND ASSISTANCE FOR THE MAINTENANCE

OF LAW AND ORDER WITH A VIEW TO SPARING THE PEOPLE

OF KUWAIT ANY HARM. THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT HAS

DECIDED TO EXTEND THE ASSISTANCE REQUESTED ON THE

BASIS OF THIS CONSIDERATION AND NONE OTHER.



3. THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT VIGOROUSLY REAFFIRMS THAT

IRAQ HARBOURS NO SPECIAL OBJECTIVES IN KUWAIT AND

IS DESIROUS OF EXTABLISHING RELATIONS OF FRATERNITY

AND GOOD-NEIGHTBOURLINESS WITH IT.



4. IT IS UP TO THE PEOPLE OF KUWAIT THEMSELVES

TO DETERMINE IN THE END THEIR OWN AFFAIRS. THE

IRAQI FORCES WILL BE WITHDRAWN AS SOON AS THE

SITUATION IS SETTLED DOWN AND AS SOON AS THE FREE

GOVERNMENT OF KUWAIT HAS SO WISHED. WE HOPE THAT

THIS WILL BE A MATTER OF A FEW DAYS OR A FEW

WEEKS AT THE LATEST.



5. WE REJECT ANY FOREIGN INTERFERENCE IN THE

CURRENT EVENTS. SUCH INTERFERENCE WILL ONLY

AGGRAVATE THE SITUATION. IRAQ LOOKS FORWARD TO

SEEING THE SITUATION RESTORED BACK TO NORMAL

IN KUWAIT QUICKLY AND BY THE PEOPLE OF KUWAIT

THEMSELVES WITHOUT ANY FOREIGN INTERFERENCE.



END QUOTE.





WILSON