TFKU01: SITREP NO. 18, IRAQ-KUWAIT TASK FORCE

S E C R E T STATE 259150 E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR TAGS: PREL MOPS IZ KU US SUBJECT: TFKU01: SITREP NO. 18, IRAQ-KUWAIT TASK FORCE SITUATION AS OF 1500 EDT, 08/06/90 ¶1. (S) EMBASSY KUWAIT REPORTS AS OF 1900 LOCAL TIME (1300 EDT) IT IS CALM AND QUIET AROUND THE COMPOUND, THERE IS SOME MOVEMENT IN THE SOUTH BY IRAQI MILITARY UNITS, AND KUWAITI CIVIL SERVANTS HAVE BEEN SKED TO RETURN TO WORK TOMORROW. ACCORDING TO SOME SOURCES, KUWAITI CIVIL SERVANTS WILL REFUSE TO REPORT TO WORK. (KUWAIT 4478) ¶2. (C) APPROXIMATELY 28 AMCITS, AND NUMEROUS OTHER FOREIGN NATIONALS, HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM KUWAITI HOTELS AND MOVED BY BUS, PROBABLY TO IRAQ. EMBASSY BAGHDAD HAS HEARD REPORTS THAT A HOTEL IN BAGHDAD HAS BEEN PREPARED FOR 250 GUESTS. THE IRAQI MFA HAS BEEN UNABLE TO PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION TO THE EMBASSY. (KUWAIT 4476, TF-BAGHDAD/KUWAIT TELCONS) ¶3. (C) THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS WOULD BE WILLING TO FURNISH LOGISTICAL SUPPORT TO EVACUATE FOREIGN CIVILIANS FROM KUWAIT, BUT ONLY AFTER GOVERNMENTS HAVE REACHED AGREEMENT WITH IRAQI AUTHORITIES AND PRESUMABLY WITH THE KUWAITI PUPPET GOVERNMENT. (GENEVA 8326) ¶4. (U) IRAQ HAS HALTED OIL SHIPMENTS THROUGH THE TURKISH PIPELINE EXCEPT FOR TURKISH DOMESTIC REQUIREMENTS. FRANCE HAS ANNOUNCED AN OIL EMBARGO AGAINST IRAQ AND KUWIT. THE NETHERLANDS HAS CLOSED THE PORT OF ROTTERDAM TO IRAQI AND KUWAITI OIL AND FROZEN ALL IRAQI AND KUWAITI ASSETS. (PRESS REPORTS, TF-EMBASSY ANKARA TELCON) ¶5. (C) THE IRAQI MFA TOLD THE WEST GERMAN AMBASSADOR THAT DIPLOMATIC STAFF AND OTHER NON-IRAQI EMBASSY EMPLOYEES WILL BE ALLOWED TO LEAVE OVERLAND VIA JORDAN BEGINNING TUESDAY, AUGUST 7. REQUIREMENTS FOR TRAVEL PERMITS WILL BE LIFTED. THE MFA ALSO SAID THAT OVERLAND TRANSPORT VIA TURKEY IS BEING LOOKED INTO AND THAT DOMESTIC COMMERCIAL FLIGHTS WILL RESUME ON TUESDAY. (TF-EMBASSY BAGHDAD TELCONS) ¶6. (U) SECRETARY BAKER WILL TRAVEL TO TURKEY ON AUGUST 8 TO DISCUSS THE INVASION. (WHITE HOUSE ANNOUNCEMENT) BAKER