Vice Premier Tapek Aziz of Iraq said here that his government “is not opposed to negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians” and that Iraq wants to see Syria withdraw its forces from Lebanon “so as not to give Israel a pretext to maintain its forces there.”
Aziz’s remarks in an interview with Le Monde last Friday came a few days after the Iraqi government made public a conversation President Saddam Hussein had with U.S. Rep. Stephen Solarz (D. N.Y.) on Aug- ust 25 in which the Iraqi leader was quoted as having linked his call for the security of Israel with a demand for the creation of a Palestinian state. Hussein said he believed in the “existence of an independent Palestinian state accepted by the Palestinians and it is also necessary to have a state of security for the Israelis.”
Iraq has long been one of Israel’s most implacable foes and diplomats could not recall any previous such statements by Iraqi leaders. There was no explanation why Iraq decided to release the text of the conversation at this time.
In his interview with Le Monde, Aziz also called for Egypt’s “unconditional” reintegration into the Arab world. He said “we must reestablish a dialogue with Egypt. There are no conditions as far as we are concerned.”
NEW IRAQI-FRANCO ARMS DEAL
The Iraqi Vice Premier, who conferred with President Francois Mitterrand, Premier Pierre Mauroy and half a dozen French ministers during his three-day stay here last week, reportedly negotiated an extension of Iraq’s debt repayments to France. Baghdad owes France close to $2 billion for various arms purchases in 1981 and 1982.
French sources said that Aziz also obtained additional credits for future arms sales. Baghdad, according to reports, is counting on France to modernize and to re-equip its armed forces. It plans to acquire a large number of Mirage-2000 combat planes as well as French-made missiles, gun boats and electronic equipment. Some sources say the new arms deal is for close to $3 billion.
According to French sources, Aziz did not raise more than in a perfunctory way, the issue of the nuclear reactor in Tamuz destroyed by Israel in June 1981.
While here, Aziz had an unscheduled meeting with Egyptian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Boutros Ghali. It was the first such encounter between an Iraqi and Egyptian minister since 1979, when Iraq, as well as most Arab states, severed diplomatic relations with Egypt in retaliation for President Anwar Sadat’s historic visit to Jerusalem and his subsequent signing of a peace treaty with Israel.
Three other Arab states — Jordan, Morocco and Lebanon — have also renewed their contacts with Egypt since Hosni Mubarak’s election as President. Mubarak also attended the funeral of Saudi Arabia’s King Khaled in Riyadh last summer.
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