US embassy cable - 90BAGHDAD4436

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IRAQI FORCES WILL BE WITHDRAWN AS SOON AS THE 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