Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 9, 1991 TAG: 9103090236
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A/1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: The Baltimore Sun
DATELINE: RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA LENGTH: Medium
Secretary of State James Baker, meanwhile, drew a commitment from King Fahd Friday night for Saudi Arabia to play an active role in the Arab-Israeli peace process and overall regional security, State Department officials said.
Iranian President Hashemi Rafsanjani said any attempt by Saddam and his ruling Baath party to remain in control "will be their last mistake." His warning amounted to an endorsement of the revolt reported to be attracting support from Kurds in the north of Iraq and Shiite Muslims in the south.
For Saddam, Rafsanjani's comments were signs of an Iraqi diplomatic gamble gone wrong. After Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, he sought to lessen his country's isolation by drawing closer to Iran, his former enemy, and counted on Iran joining him against any coalition led by the United States.
Iran officially remained neutral. It called on Iraq to withdraw from the emirate and on the United States and its non-Muslim allies to leave the Persian Gulf.
Judging by Rafsanjani's latest statements, Iran was only waiting for Saddam to falter. "Saddam is making a mistake while suppressing the people," the Iranian president said during a sermon at regular Friday prayers at Tehran University.
"If the Baathists will not listen to the voice of the people," he said, "it will be their last mistake."
His comments were another sign that Iraq's neighbors doubt Saddam can survive the political turmoil brought about by his country's military defeat. The commander of Saudi Arabia's armed forces, Lt. Gen. Prince Khalid ibn Sultan, predicted this week that Saddam "will never last more than two months."
Baker's meeting with the Saudi king was the first of a series of delicate consultations seeking to build on the victory over Iraq to achieve stability in the volatile region.
Without providing specifics, State Department officials said the Saudis made it "very clear" they were committed to playing an active role in the Arab-Israeli peace process, gulf security, regional arms control and economic cooperation.
This bolder stance marks a big change from the pre-war Saudi role of working behind the scenes and avoiding any action outside of an Arab consensus.
The Saudis have said the Palestinian problem tops the postwar agenda, but were reportedly receptive to Baker's idea of simultaneously moving to end the state of war between Israel and its Arab neighbors.
As the diplomatic mission begins, conditions inside Iraq remain almost impossible to determine. Opposition groups in exile maintained that violence against the regime continued in at least a half dozen cities, while Iraq's official media have either claimed all was well or stayed silent.
Differing accounts of conditions inside the southern city of Basra came from Iraqi refugees and U.S. military officers with access to aerial photographs and other intelligence. Officers say forces loyal to Saddam have regained control of the city. Refugees and exile groups insist battles continue there.
Baghdad Radio said a Baath party official met Wednesday with the mayor of Basra, a report that could be interpreted to mean either that all was well or that chaos reigned and the party was trying to reassert control. Refugees have said the mayor was killed in the fighting. Baghdad Radio did not identify the mayor by name.
Other developments showed Saddam's government trying to salvage the remnants of its army but apparently in control of Baghdad:
Iraq said it was releasing 40 foreign journalists, including at least 11 Americans, to the International Committee of the Red Cross. The government took the reporters Thursday to the capital from Basra, where they were accused of entering the country illegally.
Most of the journalists disappeared Sunday after they drove past U.S. checkpoints in occupied Iraq.
Baghdad Radio quoted a government spokesman as saying the Red Cross would also be given two U.S. soldiers captured in Basra, an army lieutenant and a private.
A Pentagon spokesman said the Army had no knowledge of the two identified by Iraq. "Right now," he said, "we don't know who they are."
Iraq's governing Revolutionary Command Council, offering untypical leniency, announced that army deserters would have an extra week to return to duty.
Although Baghdad Radio attributed the extension to transportation problems, the extra week appeared to be part of the government's attempt to regain its troops' loyalty.
Iraq and the American military command announced agreement on plans for sending home more than 60,000 Iraqi soldiers taken prisoner.
by CNB