Iraqi Ambassador to YT: Other Arab countries will subsequently fall prey to the USA if a unified stance is not taken [Archives:2002/32/Interview]

BY MOHAMMED BIN SALLAM
YEMEN TIMES STAFF
Taha Yaseen al-Basri, the current Iraqi Ambassador to Yemen graduated from Baghdad University, College of Education in 1959. He then became a teacher following the outbreak of the 14 Ramadhan Revolution in 1963. Then, he spent most of his life in the field of journalism, where he worked for about 30 years. He worked in the field of the diplomatic corps for a short period of time and was appointed as a chief-in-editor of Iraqs al-Thowra official daily newspaper.
He was appointed Director of the Iraqi News Agency and then as a journalist advisor in Spain. The deputation period in Spain lasted for 4 years and was later entrusted with the diplomatic corps at the foreign ministry as an ambassador.
From 1976 to 1978, he worked as Deputy of the Ministry of Information and Culture and then as a Chairman of the Iraqi journalists Union for 4 years from 1982 to 1986.
He also occupied several positions as Director at foreign ministry Offices. Then he was appointed as a resident ambassador to Argentina, as a non-resident ambassador in Chile and Uruguay and then he was appointed as an ambassador to Italy for a short period of time.
Later on he came back to Italy after which he occupied several posts in Qatar until 1999 when he was appointed as Ambassador to the Republic of Yemen.
Three years and a half have passed since he was appointed as an ambassador in Yemen. During my stay in Yemen as an ambassador, I spent charming years full of fond memories because Yemenis are so kind-hearted and of bright-minded. Yemenis were not spoiled by the modern era, al-Basri said.
Al-Basri added that the Yemeni-Iraqi relations had been deeply rooted in the past. Iraq is the first Arab country where Yemenis go to study particularly in the field of armed training and thousands of Yemeni university students go to Iraqi universities to study in different academic fields, he said.
As for academic cooperation between Yemen and Iraq, the Iraqi Ambassador pointed out two kinds of scholarships:
1)Scholarships that have been granted by the state in accordance with agreements singed between the two countries.
2)Scholarships that have been signed between the Arab Baath Socialist Party and the political parties in the political arena. It has been agreed that a number of limited scholarships should be allocated and granted separately for members of each political party.
Students in Iraq are treated equally like any other Arab or Iraqi student. As a result of this, political parties have the desire to increase the number of scholarships each year.
The Yemeni-Iraqi relations have witnessed considerable improvements in different fields whether social, political, economic or cultural. Visits exchanged between the two countries at different levels have participated in consolidating those relations further. Recently, a trade zone agreement between Iraq and Yemen has been signed. This has opened the way for open trade exchange and exemption of customs duties.
The Yemeni-Iraqi relations have been in continuous progress ever since al-Basri was appointed as an ambassador to Yemen in 1999. Yemeni-Iraqi trade relations were now gaining greater momentum. More than 50 Yemeni companies working in the field of trade have started business relations with Iraq. As a first step, certain Yemeni products are in the process of being exported to the Iraqi markets. Such products include foodstuff, detergents, medicines, etc. he added.
Yemeni businessmen are given the chance to import commodities and goods from other Arab countries to be exported to the Iraqi markets as well, he said.
In a question about Yemens stance towards the sanctions imposed on Iraq, al-Basri said that last week there was a solidarity festival held at the Research and Studies Center in support of the Iraqi issue. We make every effort to coordinate with the concerned bodies to give the Iraqi issue and the Palestinian uprising in the Arab countries their due attention, he stated further.
The US dominance over some of the Arab orders has made many countries submissive to enemys pressures. This has been represented by imposing the New World Order. In this regard, the Iraqi Ambassador commented, What we see is that around 90% of the countries in the world are dominated by the New World Order led by the USA, the Iraqi Ambassador said.
He further made clear that the official stance of Yemen towards the Iraqs issue is one of the most honorable, which manifested itself in different angels including the call upon the international community to raise sanctions and its denouncing of the continuous threats of attacking Iraq.
As for trade exchange between Iraq and Yemen, al-Basri said that Yemen and Iraq had signed a memorandum of understanding, which was also signed with other Arab countries that had trade relations with Iraq. Iraq is now looking for new trade opportunities to export its products. As a result of sanction imposed against Iraq, we are unable to export our products. Iraq is only allowed to export oil within the framework of the oil for food memorandum, he said.
Concerning lifting sanctions against Iraq, Mr. Taha said, The President of Iraq once said that he doesnt expect the lifting of sanctions against Iraq at all. Nobody can expect to lift sanctions sooner or later. This issue is subject to international and regional changes. It may last for a long period of time and we have to deal with this issue in a careful manner. In this respect, Iraq is and will remain steadfast for ever.
Unfortunately, there is no unified Arab stance in regard to sanctions because of the differences among Arab regimes, which reflects itself negatively on Iraq.
But according to the ambassador, there are some shining and promising examples such as Saudi Arabias stance towards the imposed sanctions and its stance concerning the latest US threats to strike Iraq, which is a new promising development. I hope from the bottom of my heart that Saudi Arabias stance will be the same of all other countries. What has been declared by H.H. Prince, Saood al-Faisal of opposing any strike against Iraq is a promising step forward, he said. He added that defending Iraq means defending the whole Arab nation. Iraq is not the only target. Other Arab countries will subsequently fall prey to the USA if a unified stance is not taken, he concluded.

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