ANKARA Ñ Iraq plans to offer its neighbors huge trade deals in a diplomatic preemptive strike to foil
any U.S.-led military campaign to topple President Saddam Hussein.
Iraqi officials said Saddam's regime would send envoys to such
countries as Egypt, Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab countries
over the next few weeks. They said many of these countries would also be
approached during a Saudi trade fair scheduled to be held in Baghdad on
Sept. 9, Middle East Newsline reported.
"In a few days, emissaries of President Saddam Hussein will be sent to
all Arab countries to update their leaders on the real situation," Iraqi
President Taha Yassin Ramadan told the Al Ittihad newspaper, an official
Iraqi weekly.
Turkey is expected to be an Iraqi priority, the officials said. The
Saddam regime has proposed a deal to increase trade with Turkey to a level
of
more than $1 billion.
Iraqi Trade Minister Mohammed Mehdi Saleh said the agreement would be
similar to the $40 billion proposed accord between Baghdad and Moscow for
oil and natural gas development in Iraq. Saleh said the agreement would seek
to restore the extensive trade cooperation between Ankara and Baghdad that
existed prior to the 1991 Gulf war.
"The principle is to develop a program by which we conclude an
agreement, a long-term agreement, to promote the economic and trade
relationship between Iraq and Turkey," Saleh said. "If the United States
stages a military attack on Iraq, regional countries including Turkey, will
be affected negatively."
Saleh said Turkey is an Iraqi priority. The minister, who met with
Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, said the two countries could sign a
trade accord over the next few weeks.
Western diplomatic sources said the Iraqi offer is meant to stop Turkish
cooperation with the United States for a war against Baghdad. The sources
said the Saddam regime hopes to spark a debate within the Turkish leadership
of the cost of supporting any U.S.-led effort to topple Saddam.
Already, Turkish ministers have expressed concern that Ankara would
sustain heavy damages from any U.S. war against Saddam. The ministers have
advised negotiations with Baghdad to ensure the return of United Nations
inspectors to Iraq.
"Our concern is that if a war erupts we will suffer," Turkish Trade
Minister Tunca Toskay said. "Tourism and exports in many directions will be
negatively affected. Our concern is clear. We will be harmed if there is a
war. There is a $1.2 billion project in Iraq. This will stop."
