Cablegate: Embassy Baghdad

O 022004Z AUG 90
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO SECSTATE WASHDC NIACT IMMEDIATE 4737
INFO ARABLEAGUE COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE

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IRAQI FORCES WILL BE WITHDRAWN AS SOON AS THE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

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