Iraq 1969–1971
274. Telegram 4546 From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State
The Embassy summarized the content of the new joint Soviet-Iraq communiqué.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 7 IRAQ. Confidential. Repeated to Paris, Algiers, Beirut, Amman, Cairo, Dhahran, Jidda, Kuwait, London, Rabat, Tel Aviv, Tripoli, Tunis, and USUN.
275. Central Intelligence Agency Information Cable
A European diplomat indicated that the Soviets were disappointed with the Iraqi Government.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 603, Country Files, Middle East, Iraq, TDCS DC–315/04352–70. Secret; No Foreign Dissem; Controlled Dissem; No Dissem Abroad; Background Use Only. Kissinger initialed the cable.
276. Central Intelligence Agency Information Cable IN 152111
The cable disclosed that a plot was underway by Shi’a Muslims to overthrow the Iraq government in September.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 603, Country Files, Middle East, Iraq, TDCS–314/08944–70. Secret; No Foreign Dissem.
277. Airgram 477 From the Embassy in Belgium to the Department of State
The Embassy passed along a report by the Belgian Foreign Office on the gradually improving conditions for Iraqi Jews.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, SOC 14 IRAQ. Confidential. Repeated to Tehran, Beirut, London, and Tel Aviv.
278. Telegram 9048 From the Embassy in Lebanon to the Department of State
The Embassy reported on the recent turmoil in Iraq’s Ba’ath party, which had resulted in the dismissal of Hardan Tikriti at the instigation of Saddam Hussein and others in the Revolutionary Command Council.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 15–1 IRAQ. Confidential. Repeated to Amman, Kuwait, Tehran, Jidda, Brussels, Ankara, Tel Aviv, London, Moscow, and Paris. Although identified as the Iraqi Vice President, Tikriti was in fact the Minister of Defense. In telegram 361, March 31, 1971, the Embassy in Kuwait reported that Tikriti had been assassinated in the city of Kuwait, and that the government and public “assumes that murder was planned in Baghdad and executed by Iraqi govt assassins.” (Ibid.)
279. Telegram 76 From the Embassy in Iran to the Department of State
The Embassy alerted the Department to recent Soviet naval visits to the Persian Gulf, including the most recent one to the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr where the Soviets were building facilities.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, DEF 15 IRAQ-USSR. Secret. Repeated to Dhahran, Jidda, Kuwait, London, Moscow, CINCSTRIKE, and MIDEASTFOR.
280. Telegram 36204 From the Department of State to the Embassy in Nepal
The Department instructed the Embassy to request that the UN High Commissioner for Refugees inquire about recent reports of arrests of Iraqi Jews in Baghdad.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 29 IRAQ. Confidential. Repeated to Dacca, Mission Geneva for RMRC, Brussels, and USUN. Drafted by Killgore; cleared by Albert P. Burleigh (NEA/INC), Frank G. Trinka (EUR/AIS), Laurence A. Dawson (S/R-ORM), Craig Baxter (NEA/PAF), J. Theodore Papendorp (EUR/FBX), Clement J. Sobotka, S/R; Seelye; and Orson W. Trueworthy, S/R-ORM; approved by Atherton.
281. Airgram A–82 From the Embassy in Lebanon to the Department of State
The Embassy reported the comments on the situation in Iraq by a Lebanese politician recently returned from a visit there.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files, 1970–73, POL IRAQ. Confidential. Repeated to Amman, Ankara, Jidda, Kuwait, London, Moscow, and Tehran. Drafted by J. Thomas McAndrew; cleared by Nicholas M. Murphy; approved by Curtis F. Jones.
282. Telegram 47357 From the Department of State to the Embassy in Belgium
With arrests of Iraqi Jews increasing, the Department pressed for information on the scheduled visit of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to Baghdad, and suggested asking the Belgian Government to make an appeal on behalf of the United States.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 29 IRAQ. Confidential. Repeated to The Hague, Mission Geneva, and USUN. Drafted by Thomas J. Scotes; cleared by Seelye, Papandorp, Trinka, and Trueworthy; approved by Atherton.
283. Telegram 1098 From the Mission to Geneva to the Department of State
The mission relayed the outcome of the UN High Commissioner’s Baghdad discussions with Iraqi authorities about the arrests of Iraqi Jews.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, SOC 14 IRAQ. Confidential. Repeated to Kathmandu, Brussels, Dacca, and USUN.
284. Telegram 54497 From the Department of State to the Embassies in the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, and Switzerland
The Department instructed the Embassies to request their host governments to make representations to the Baghdad government on behalf of Iraqi Jews.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, SOC 14 IRAQ. Confidential. Repeated to Brussels, US Mission Geneva, and USUN. Drafted by Scotes; cleared by Seelye, Frederick Smith, Jr., (SCA), Trueworthy, Greene (IO/UNP), Papendorp, Long (EUR/FBX), Johnson (EUR/AIS), Jack M. Smith (EUR/SPP), Joel E. Marsh (EUR/AIS); approved by Atherton.
285. Telegram 63120 From the Department of State to the Embassies in the United Kingdom, Libya, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, France, The Hague, and Austria and the Consulate in Saudi Arabia
The Department notified the embassies that Iraq had demanded a greater rise in prices on oil piped from Eastern Mediterranean terminals than the oil companies had offered.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, PET 6 IRAQ. Secret. Drafted by Warren E. Clark Jr. (E/ORF/FSE); cleared by Robert L. Dowell, Jr. (NEA/IRN), Brooks Wrampelmeir (NEA/ARP); approved by Akins.
286. Telegram 67409 From the Department of State to the Embassies in Jordan, Lebanon, Belgium, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Kingdom, Iran, the Soviet Union, and the Interests Section in Cairo
The Department forwarded the substance of talks on internal Iraqi developments between Assistant Secretary Sisco and the Belgian Ambassador to Iraq.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 2 IRAQ. Secret. Drafted by Seelye; approved by Sisco.
287. Telegram 77002 From the Department of State to the Embassies in the United Kingdom and Lebanon
The Department advised the posts of the Iraqi government’s threat to unilaterally legislate an agreement or nationalize the Iraq Petroleum Company if the oil companies did not meet its demands.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, PET 6 IRAQ. Secret; Limdis; Priority. Repeated to Kuwait, Jidda, Tehran, Tripoli, Dhahran, and Brussels. Drafted by Clark. Cleared by Scotes and Wrampelmeier. Approved by Akins.
288. Telegram 1302 From the Mission to Geneva to the Department of State
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees conveyed his annoyance over the leak of information concerning his intervention in Baghdad, which had resulted in the release of imprisoned Jews.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 29 IRAQ. Confidential. Repeated to USUN.
289. Memorandum from the Country Director for Lebanon, Jordan, the Syrian Arab Republic, and Iraq (Seelye) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs (Sisco)
Seelye concurred with the UN High Commissioner’s dismay over the leaked information, which undermined U.S. efforts with Iraq.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, SOC 14 IRAQ. Confidential. Drafted by Scotes. Sent through Atherton. A handwritten note on the memorandum indicated that “JTA [Jewish Telegraph Agency] report (attached) says Javits released the letter. It could be, of course, that it was released or otherwise let out by Javits’ office without the Senator’s OK. ASA” The letter to Senator Javits is an unsigned copy. The JTA report was attached but is not published.
290. Memorandum From the Executive Secretary of the Department of State (Eliot) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)
Eliot informed Kissinger that the US Embassy property in Baghdad had been seized by the Iraqi Government.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 17 US-IRAQ. Confidential. Drafted by Scotes; cleared by Sisco, Atherton, Seelye, Leamon R. Hunt (NEA/EX), and Joseph F. Donelan, Jr. (O/A).
291. Telegram 92470 From the Department of State to the Embassy in Belgium
The Department forwarded a message from the Belgian Ambassador to Iraq, in which he cautioned Washington against retaliation for the seizure of the U.S. Embassy property.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 17 US-IRAQ. Confidential. Drafted by Scotes. Cleared by Papendorp; approved by Seelye.
292. Airgram 222 From the Embassy in Lebanon to the Department of State
A close associate of Barzani contacted the Embassy in Beirut to request talks with the U.S. Government.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 13-3 IRAQ. Secret; Limdis. Repeated to Amman, Ankara, Jidda, London, Tehran, and USUN. Drafted and approved by Curtis F. Jones; cleared by Thomas J. Carolan, Jr.
293. Telegram 9689 From the Embassy in Lebanon to the Department of State
In a meeting with Embassy officers in Beirut, a Kurdish Democratic Party Leader Barzani representative again requested U.S. assistance for the Kurds’ anti-Baghdad movement.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files1970-73, POL 12 IRAQ. Confidential. Repeated to Tehran. In telegram 206473 to Beirut, November 12, the Department confirmed the Embassy’s feeling that a meeting between Barzani and U.S. officials would only nurture false hopes of U.S. assistance.(lbid.)
294. Telegram 213299 From the Department of State to the Embassy in Iran
The Department critically analyzed the rosy assessment of internal Iraqi affairs recently published by a Lebanese journalist.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL IRAN-IRAQ. Confidential. Repeated to Amman, Ankara, Brussels, Beirut, Jidda, Kuwait, London, Moscow, Paris, Tel Aviv, and Cairo. Drafted by Edward G. Abington (NEA/ARN); cleared by Albert A. Vacarro (INR/RNA), Joseph A. Presel (EUR/SOV), Miklos, Seelye; and approved by Atherton.