DATE=1/5/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-243798
TITLE=IRAQ CLASH (L)
BYLINE=SCOTT BOBB
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: U-S OFFICIALS SAY U-S WARPLANES HAVE FIRED ON IRAQI
PLANES IN THE SO-CALLED NO-FLY ZONE OVER SOUTHERN IRAQ, AND ONE
OF THE IRAQI PLANES MAY HAVE CRASHED. CORRESPONDENT SCOTT BOBB
REPORTS FROM OUR MIDDLE EAST BUREAU IN CAIRO THAT THE REPORTED
INCIDENT COMES AS PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN IS URGING ARABS TO
RISE UP AGAINST LEADERS WHO SUPPORT WESTERN POWERS.
TEXT: THE IRAQI LEADER (TUESDAY) CALLED ON ARABS TO REVOLT
AGAINST FOREIGN POWERS, AND WHAT HE CALLED THOSE WHO BOAST OF
FRIENDSHIP WITH THE UNITED STATES.
IN A RECORDED MESSAGE BROADCAST ON THE REGIONAL, "AL-JAZEERA"
TELEVISION STATION (LATE TUESDAY), PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN SAID
WESTERN SOLDIERS ARE IN THE LAND OF THE MUSLIM HOLY SITES, A
REFERENCE TO MECCA AND MEDINA IN SAUDI ARABIA. HE CALLED AL-QODS
A HOSTAGE -- A REFERENCE TO JERUSALEM'S CONTROL BY ISRAEL.
PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN EARLIER THIS WEEK PLEDGED TO CONTINUE TO
DEFY THE NO-FLY ZONES, WHICH WERE IMPOSED BY WESTERN POWERS AFTER
THE GULF WAR TO PROTECT DISSIDENT POPULATIONS FROM IRAQI AIR
ATTACKS. U-S PLANES FIRED MISSILES TWICE THIS PAST WEEK AT IRAQI
GROUND FORCES, AFTER COMING UNDER FIRE FROM IRAQI AIR DEFENSES.
BUT TUESDAY'S INCIDENT WAS THE FIRST CLASH WITH IRAQI WARPLANES
SINCE 1992.
IRAQI DEFIANCE OF THE WESTERN POWERS HAS INCREASED SINCE U-S AND
BRITISH FORCES STAGED FOUR-NIGHTS OF AIR STRIKES AGAINST IRAQ
LAST MONTH.
THE AIR STRIKES BROUGHT WIDESPREAD INTERNATIONAL CRITICISM AND
POPULAR DEMONSTRATIONS IN THE ARAB WORLD. SINCE THEN THE IRAQI
GOVERNMENT HAS TRIED TO PRESS ARAB GOVERNMENTS TO UNITE BEHIND A
CALL TO END ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAQ AND NO-FLY ZONE
PATROLS, WHICH IT SAYS ARE A VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW.
ARAB GOVERNMENTS HAVE CRITICIZED THE AIR STRIKES AND EXPRESSED
SYMPATHY FOR THE IRAQI PEOPLE, BUT SOME HAVE BLAMED THE IRAQI
GOVERNMENT FOR THE SITUATION, LEADING TO A WAR OF WORDS IN THE
REGIONAL NEWS MEDIA.
IRAQ ALSO SOUGHT AN URGENT MEETING OF ARAB LEAGUE FOREIGN
MINISTERS FOLLOWING THE AIR STRIKES, BUT BECAME ANGRY WHEN SOME
ARAB GOVERNMENTS ASKED THAT IT BE POSTPONED.
IRAQI OFFICIALS CRITICIZED A MEETING OF FIVE FOREIGN MINISTERS IN
EGYPT THIS PAST WEEKEND, SAYING THEY DID NOT RECOGNIZE ANY
MEETING OUTSIDE THE ARAB LEAGUE. EGYPT'S FOREIGN MINISTER
RESPONDED BY SAYING THE MEETING WAS TO PREPARE FOR THE FOREIGN
MINISTERS CONFERENCE, WHICH HE SAID WOULD BE HELD AS PLANNED
LATER THIS MONTH. (SIGNED)
NEB/SB/RAE/GE
05-Jan-99 2:45 PM EST (1945 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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