Peace Proposal From Baghdad: a Partial Text

Here is a partial text of the Iraqi communique issued Friday by the Revolutionary Command Council, translated from Arabic by the Associated Press.

O dear Iraqis!

O honorable Arabs!

O Muslims, believers in true Islam!

O honorable free people of the world!

. . . In order to deprive the evil American-Zionist-NATO alliance of the opportunity to achieve its pre-planned and pre-arranged objective, and in appreciation of the Soviet initiative that was carried by the envoy of the Soviet leadership, and in consistence with the initiative offered by President Saddam Hussein on Aug. 2, 1990, the Revolutionary Command Council declares the following:

1.--In order to achieve a dignified and acceptable political settlement, Iraq has decided to accept the U.N. Security Council Resolution No. 660 of 1990, including the clause related to an Iraqi withdrawal. The first step that is required to be implemented should be regarded as a guarantee on the part of Iraq in the matter of withdrawal, incumbent on the following:

A. An immediate and comprehensive cessation of land, sea and air operations.

B. If the U.N. Security Council decides from the outset to abrogate Resolutions 660, 662, 664, 665, 666, 667, 669, 670, 674, 677, 678 and the consequences thereof.

Also: the abrogation of all the boycott and embargo decisions, and all the other negative resolutions and measures that were taken by some countries against Iraq, either individually or collectively, before Aug. 2, 1990, which were the real cause of the Gulf crisis, in order to restore a normal situation, as if nothing had happened, and without Iraq having to bear any negative consequences for whatever reason.

C. That the first step required from Iraq--that is the withdrawal--must be coupled with the withdrawal of the U.S. and all other forces, weapons and equipment which converged on the region’s lands and seas after Aug. 2, 1990, including the weapons and equipment supplied to Israel under the Gulf War pretext. These withdrawals are to be completed within one month of the comprehensive cease-fire.

D. That the first step demanded from Iraq, that is the withdrawal, should be linked to an Israeli pullout from occupied Palestine and other Arab territories in the Syrian Golan Heights and Lebanon, in accordance with U.N. Security Council and General Assembly resolutions. Should Israel resist, the Security Council is to apply against Israel the same measures applied against Iraq.

E. That Iraq’s historic rights be guaranteed on land, in the air and on the sea in full in any political settlement.

F. That the political arrangement agreed upon be based on the wishes of the people and compatible with the exercise of authentic democracy and not on the basis of any acquired privileges of the Sabah family (Kuwait’s rulers).

2.--That all countries which participated or helped finance the aggression against Iraq undertake to rebuild what the aggression has destroyed, in a manner that would be compatible with the best specifications of the activities, projects and facilities that were targeted by the aggression, without Iraq being burdened with any financial liabilities.

3.--That all debts owed to aggressor Gulf and foreign countries by Iraq and the countries that sustained losses because of the aggression without having directly or indirectly participated in the aggression should be forgiven, and that relations be established between the rich and poor countries of the region based on justice and fairness, in a manner that would assign to the rich countries clear commitments to the quest for achieving development in the poor countries and alleviating their economic woes, on the basis of the principle that the poor also have the right to share in the wealth of the rich ones, and that an end be put to double standards in dealing with the problems of the peoples and nations, be they double standards followed by the Security Council or on the part of one country or another.

4.--Gulf countries, including Iran, should be left to undertake the necessary security arrangements and regulate relations among themselves, away from any foreign intervention.

5.--The proclamation of the Gulf as a region free of foreign military bases and any kind of military intervention, with everybody’s commitment to it.