Chronology February 16, 1975-May 15, 1975

Reviewed work(s):
Source: Middle East Journal, Vol. 29, No. 3 (Summer, 1975), pp. 329-343
Published by: Middle East Institute
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4325381 .
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 CHRONOLOGY

February 16, 1975-May 15, 1975

ArabIsraeliConflict Husayn, held secret meetings between 1967 and

1975
Feb. 16: Egyptian Foreign Minister Isma'il Fahmi
was quoted by Beirut's Daily Star as saying that
he had reason to believe there would be new
Israeli withdrawals on the Egyptian and Syrian
fronts by the end of June. [NYT]
Feb. 17: The Israeli military reportedthat the Suez
Canal was open and that a British tanker and
several Egyptian naval vessels had recently made
the passage. [NYT]
Feb. 18: Foreign Minister Fahmi said Egypt would
not return to the Geneva Convention until her
October 1973 War arms losses were replaced
and he confirmed that the USSR resumed arms
supplies under the terms of an old arms accord.
[NYT]
US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger met
with the Shah of Iran in Zurich. When asked if
Iran would supply Israel with oil if Israel would
return the Sinai oil fields to Egypt, the Shah
said: "Our policy is to sell oil to those who . . . Feb. 22: One Palestinian guerrilla was killed in an
will buy it . . . Once the tankers are loaded, where
it goes is of no importanceto us." [NYT]
UN Secretary GeneralKurt Waldheim arrived
in Iraq for talks on the Arab Israeli situation. Feb. 23: Israeli Foreign Minister Yigal Allon said
[JP]
Feb. 20: Egypt warned Israel that Israeli plans to
build an aircraft plant in East Jerusalem could
destroy chances for peace because building the
plant would be "aggression." [NYT]
Former Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Dayan
said Israeli and Jordanianleaders,includingKing
1973 in an unsuccessful attempt to work out a
peace agreement. [NYT]
Feb. 21: Cairo's Akhbar al-Yawm said a second
Egyptian Israeli disengagementaccord was "cer-
tain" unless an "unforeseensurprise occurs." A
US spokesman responded that "nothing is cer-
tain." [NYT]
The UN Commissionon Human Rights passed
resolutionscensuring Israel for policies "aimedat
colonizing and changing the physical and demo-
graphic composition of the occupied Arab terri-
tories" and for the "deliberate destruction" of
Qunaytirah. [NYT]
Syria's President Hafiz al-Asad told News-
wceekmagazine that Syria would agree to peace
with Israel when Israel withdraws from all Arab
territory occupied in 1967 and recognizes a sep-
arate Palestinian state in the West Bank and
Gaza. He said: "When everything is settled it
will have to be formalized with a formal peace
treaty" and "this is not a new logic in Syria's
l.olicy . . . it is our fundamentalposition decided
by party leaders." [NYT]
attemptto abductIsraeli hostages near the village
of Shtula. Israel said the raiding party came from
Lebanon. [NYT]
his country ruled out foreign guarantees of
Israel's existence unless "Israel is capable to de-
fend itself . . . But as far as I know no such offer
was made to us or to anybodyelse." [NYT]
Feb. 25: A Syrian spokesman said the Feb. 21
Newsweek report of an interview with President
Asad was not an "honestreflectionof the content

List of Abbreviations
ARR, Arab Report and Record; AW, The Arab World; B, Brief; CSM, The Christian Science
Monitor; CB, Cyprus Bulletin; E, The Economist; FBIS, Foreign Broadcast Information Service
Daily Report-Middle East and Africa; G, The Guardian(weekly internationaledition); JP, The Jeru-
salem Post; KT, The Kabul Times; KI, Kayhan (international edition); MEED, Middle East Eco-
nomic Digest; MEES, Middle East Economic Survey; LM, Le Monde (weekly English edition);
NYT, The New York Times; PO, Platt's Oilgram; TDN, Turkish Daily News; WP, The Washington
Post.

329
330 THE MIDDLE EAST JOURNAL
of discussion,particularlyconcerningthe question
of a peace treaty." [NYT]
Feb. 26: In an apparentreferenceto the Arab Boy-
cott, US President GeraldFord said that "foreign
businessmen and investors are most welcome in
the United States when they are willing to con-
form to the principles of our society" and that
"any allegations of discrimination will be fully
investigated and appropriateaction taken under
the laws of the United States." [NYT]
Feb. 27: Egyptian President Anwar al-Saddt said
he would not receive a PLO delegation scheduled
to visit Egypt but would talk only with the entire
PLO Executive Committee. The PLO canceled
the delegation'splannedvisit to Cairo. [NYT]
Feb. 28: Israel expelled 5 Arabs from the West
Bank to Lebanon. [NYT]
Mar. 1: The Arab Boycott announced that the
American National and Columbia Broadcasting
Systems would be permitted to continue news
coverage in the Arab world "under supervision"
but that all other activities of the 2 companies
would be banned. [NYTI
Mar. 2: Israeli troops evicted 60 Orthodox Jews
from a site east of Jerusalem in the occupied
territory where they tried to settle. [NYT]
An Israeli spokesman said organized settlers
would not be prevented from settling in Ma'aleh
Adumim in the West Bank if they would work in
the Israeli industrial plants being built there.
[WP]
Mar. 5: Eight Arab guerrillas landed on the beach
at Tel Aviv and attacked the Savoy Hotel.
Eighteen people were killed including7 guerrillas.
One guerrilla was captured. [NYT]
The Arab Boycott denied having an anti-
Jewish bias and said its "sole criteria for includ-
ing companies on its blacklist was to stop com-
panies from contributing to the development of
Israel." [NYT]
Mar. 6: Al-Fath claimed responsibilityfor the at-
tack in Tel Aviv. [NYT]
Mar. 7: US Secretary of State Kissinger flew to
Egypt to resume his negotiations for an Egyptian
Israeli interim agreement in the Sinai. [NYT]
Asad said Syria was willing to unify Syria's
military command with that of the PLO "as a
means to consolidate the Palestinian struggle."
[NYT]
Mar. 8: Kissinger met in Aswan with Egyptian
President Sadat who said later that the negotia-
tions would be "very hard" and that Egypt
would not sign a document declaring "non-
belligerence"against Israel in return for territory
in the Sinai. [NYT]
Mar. 9: Kissinger flew from Egypt to Damascus
for a brief meeting with Asad and then on to
Israel. [NYT]
Mar. 10: Kissinger met in Israel with Premier
Yitzhak Rabin. [NYT]
Mar. 11: Kissinger returned to Israel after a day
of talks in Turkey. [NYT]
Mar. 12: A PLO spokesman said there would be
more attacks like the one in Tel Aviv, only
against "any Israeli strategic target wherever we
can reach it, in Israel or in Japan or in the United
States." [NYT]
Kissinger met in Egypt with Sadat and told
reporters that both sides wanted a new agree-
ment in the Sinai but that important differences
remained over key issues. [NYT]
Mar. 13: After meeting in Aswan with Saddt,
Kissinger said: "We have passed from an exam-
ination of general principlesto an examinationof
concrete ideas . . . I shall now be taking some
concrete ideas to Israel tomorrow."[NYT]
Mar. 14: An Israeli official said Egypt's "concrete
ideas" for a new Sinai accord fell short of what
was needed. [NYT]
Mar. 15: The PLO accepted Syria's invitation to
consider uniting "political and military" com-
mands. [NYT]
Kissinger met in Syria for 5 hours with Asad
and then flew on to Jordan. [NYT]
Mar. 16: Kissinger met with Israeli leaders after
the Israeli Cabinet empowered its negotiating
team to continue the talks. [NYT]
Mar. 18: Kissinger met with Saddt and then flew
to Israel. He said there had been some progress
but that "several substantial areas of disagree-
ment" remained. [NYT]
Mar. 21: The Palestine Central Council meeting in
Damascus approved Syria's proposal to create
unified political and military commandsand said
talks to implement the proposal would begin
within a week. [NYT]
President Ford sent an urgent letter to the
Israeli government.[NYT]
Mar. 22: Kissinger announcedhe was suspending
his negotiations because of "irreconcilable"dif-
ferences between Egypt and Israel. He called for
a "period of reassessment."
Egypt said Israel's demand for an immediate
declaration of nonbelligerency "brought to an
end" the negotiations. [NYT]
Mar. 23: A high ranking PLO representativear-
rived in Cairo for talks on coordihatingstrategy
against Israel. [NYT]
Kissinger returnedto the US to brief Ford on
the breakdown of negotiations. He said of the
Mideast conflict: "We will now have to look for
different methods and new forums." [NYT]
Rabin said the Kissinger talks broke down be-
cause Egypt refused Israeli proposals for (1) an
Israeli withdrawal from strategic Sinai passes
and oil fields in return for an Egyptian "state-
ment of the end of the war" or (2) more limited
territorial concessions in return for "a general
statement about the readiness to limit the use of
force" and "certain practical expressions . . . of
a movement toward peace." [NYT]
Mar. 24: France and the USSR called for Israel to
 CHRONOLOGY
withdrawfrom territory occupiedin 1967. [NYT]
Ford ordered a total reevaluationof US policy
in the Middle East including "all aspects and all
countries."A US spokesmansaid American mili-
tary aid to Israel would continue during the re-
assessmentbut that its volume would be uncertain.
[NYT]
Afar. 26: Kissinger told a news conferencethat the
US remained "committed to the survival of
Israel." He said that the issues might have to be
negotiated "comprehensively,under more difficult
circumstances"and that the US would be in touch
"with the co-chairman of the [Geneva] Con-
ference, the USSR, in the near future." [NYT]
Mar. 27: Ford was reportedto have said at a news
conference that if Israelis had been "a bit more
flexible" in the talks "it would have been the best
insurancefor peace." [NYT]
The Soviet Communist Party paper Pravda
said the breakdown of the Kissinger talks "has
again reaffirmedthe hopelessness of attempts at
so-called partial solutions . . . by means of 'quiet
diplomacy'." [NYT]
Mar. 28: Two bombs exploded in Jerusalem injur-
ing 13. The PLO claimed responsibility for the
attacks. [NYT]
Mar. 29: Sadat said Egypt would reopen the Suez
Canal on June 5 and would extend the UN peace
keeping forces' mandate in Sinai for 3 months,
from April 24 to July 24. [NYT]
Mar. 30: Rabin said Egypt's decision to renew the
UN forces' mandate for 3 months instead of 6
months was a "negative"move in the search for
peace. [NYT]
Egyptian officials said that neither Israeli ships
nor Israel bound cargo on other ships would be
allowed to pass through the Suez Canal. [NYT]
Mar. 31: Egypt said Israel bound cargo would be
permitted through the Suez Canal only if an
agreementfor furtherwithdrawalof Israeli troops
in the Sinai is reached. [NYT]
About 20,000 Israelis marched to a site in the
occupied West Bank to protest the Israeli gov-
ernment'srefusal to allow more Israeli settlement
there. [NYT]
US Defense Secretary James Schlesinger said
the US would be "reluctant"to conclude new
arms agreements with Israel while US Mideast
policy was being assessed. [NYT]
Apr. 1: Rabin said the reopening of the Suez
"contributes nothing of benefit to Israel" but
"benefitsfirst of all Egypt" and then the USSR
and Europe. [NYT]
It was reported that Egypt formally requested
the US and USSR to reconvenethe Geneva Con-
ference. [NYT]
Apr. 3: The New York Times quoted the Saudi
Ministry of Informationas saying: "In an answer
to a question about Jewish rights in Jerusalem,
His Highness [Minister of State for Foreign Af-
fairs Prince Sa'fid ibn Faysal] said that The
331
Kingdom does not object to the rights of worship
of any religion. However, these rights do not
mean or justify the occupation of Jerusalem."
[NYT]
PLO Chairman Yasir 'Arafat said he had
evidence that Israel possessed 3 to 5 nuclear
weapons. [NYT]
Apr. 5: Rabin told NBC TV that Israel requested
the International Red Cross to seek an Arab
Israeli agreement to refrain from striking at
populationcenters in the event of renewed fight-
ing. [NYT]
Apr. 6: Sadat said Egypt would accept an arms
limitationproposalwith Israel as part of an over-
all Middle East settlement. [NYT]
PLO spokesmanAbu Iyad said Jordan had to
be considered part of the Arab front against
Israel. [NYT]
Apr. 7: PLO leader 'Arafat met in Cairo with
Sadat and officials said afterwardsthat Egyptian-
PLO relations were improved. [NYT]
Apr. 9: Amnesty Internationalaccused Israel and
Syria of violations during the October 1973 War
of the Geneva Conventionson treatment of war
prisoners. [NYT]
Apr. 12: Sadat said it was time for the US to de-
clare whether it was "protectingIsrael within its
borders or whether it is protecting Israel's occu-
pation of the land of other states as well."
[NYT]
Apr. 14: Soviet Premier Alexei Kosygin said the
Arab countries must become "more unified" be-
fore facing the US and Israel at the GenevaCon-
ference. [NYT]
Apr. 17: The UN Security Councilvoted to extend
the UN force in Sinai from Apr. 24 to July 24.
[NYT]
Apr. 20: The New York Times reportedIsraeli of-
ficials as saying Israel would not reconsider its
negotiating position over the Sinai as long as the
US holds military arms aid talks with Israel in
suspension. [NYT]
Fahmi said the USSR suggested that the
Geneva Conferencebe convenedin June and that
Egypt had "no objection to this date." [NYT]
Apr. 21: The Washington Post reported that both
Egypt and Israel had suspended talks with the
US on the sale of nuclear power plants. [WP]
Israeli Foreign Minister Allon met in Wash-
ington with Kissinger and said some "misunder-
standings" still existed between the US and
Israel. [NYT]
Apr. 22: Fahmi concludedtalks in Moscow. A joint
communique said that "careful preparations"
would be necessarybefore reconveningthe Geneva
Conferenceand that the PLO must take part in
Geneva "enjoying equal rights with the other
participants."[NYT]
Apr. 23: After 2 days of meetings in Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia, Sadat and Asad announced that they
332 THE MIDDLE EAST JOURNAL
agreed to set up a committee to coordinatestrat-
egy against Israel. A communiquesaid the next
stage of the conflict would requireclose coordina-
tion between Egypt and Syria. Sadat then flew
to Iran. [NYT]
Syrian Foreign Minister 'Abd al-Halim Khad-
dam arrived in Moscow for talks. Soviet Foreign
Minister Andrei Gromyko said: "Israel may get,
if it so wishes, the strictest guarantees, with the
participation,under an appropriateagreement,of
the Soviet Union." [NYT]
US Defense Secretary Schlesinger told Israeli
Ambassador to the US Simcha Dinitz that the
US reassessment of Mideast policy would not
diminish American support for Israeli security.
[NYT]
Apr. 24: The Shah of Iran said at the conclusion
of a visit to Tehran by Sadat that Iran backed
"the policies of Egypt 100%"in the Arab Israeli
conflict. [NYT]
The New York Times cited reports that Jor-
dan agreed to form a joint military commandwith
Syria. [NYT]
Apr. 26: Syrian Foreign Minister Khaddamended
a 2 day visit to Moscow. A joint communique
said the Geneva Conferenceshould be resumedas
soon as possible and that Syria's armed forces
should be strengthened. [NYT]
Apr. 27: Syria announcedagreementsto extend the
UN force in the Jawlan region until July 30.
[WP]
The Israeli Cabinet barred discussion of peace
proposals to be submitted to the Geneva Con-
ference on the grounds that such discussionwould
appear to be weakness in the face of US diplo-
matic pressure. [NYT]
Apr. 28: Allon began talks in France on the Middle
East situation. [NYT]
'Arafat arrived in Moscow for talks on the
proposed Geneva Conference. [NYT]
Apr. 30: Jordan's King Ijusayn said there was
"no substance" to reports that Syrian and Jor-
daniantroops would be joined under a joint com-
mand. He also said that it was "too early" to
know whether Jordan would participate at Gen-
eva. [WP]
May 3: Palestinian guerrillas in Beirut claimed re-
sponsibility for 2 rockets which exploded in
Jerusalem early in the day. [NYT]
May 4: A bomb exploded in a Jerusalem apart-
ment building wounding several Israelis. Pales-
tinian commandosin Syria claimed responsibility.
[NYT]
King Husayn warned that if no new moves
toward peace were made in the coming months 1975
then "we are headed for a major disaster."
[NYT]
May 5: 'Arafat concluded his talks in Moscow.
[NYT]
The New York Times cited sources in Beirut Mar. 13: President MohammadDawud concluded
as saying Asad declined an invitation to join the
scheduled meeting in Salzburg in June between
Ford and Sadaftbut that Asad endorsedthe talks.
[NYTI
May 7: Israeli Defense Minister Shimon Peres
warned that Libya stockpiled Soviet weapons
which, together with Libya's "murderousspirit,"
threatenedthe Middle East. [WP]
May 12: Israeli forces raided the Lebanese village
of Bint Jubayl, Yarin and Aita al-Sha'b, kidnap-
ping 5 suspectedguerrillas. [NYTI
May 13: Israeli Defense Minister Peres said that
the Jordanian army had advanced tanks to the
plain on the East Bank during the "last few
days." [NYT]
May 15: An Arab-owned bus was burned in the
Old City of Jerusalem. Claiming responsibility
was a new group calling itself "Terror for Ter-
ror, an Eye for an Eye." [NYT]
General
1975
Feb. 24: The governors of Arab League Central
Banks meeting in Iraq called for the creation of
a World Monetary System which would "disci-
pline the financial policies of the major industrial
countries" and stabilize the exchange rate of
Arab currency reserves. [NYT]
The Iraq News Agency reportedthat the Cen-
tral Banks of some Arab states agreed to the es-
tablishment of an Arab Monetary Agency. It
would have 750 million special drawing units
called the Arab Dinar worth approximately$1.75
billion. [NYT]
May 9: Austrian Chancellor Bruno Kreisky an-
nouncedagreementby the Israel Labor Party and
by the Egyptian Arab Socialist Union to meet
under the auspices of the Middle East Committee
of the Socialist International.[NYT]
May 10: An agreement to establish an industrial
organizationwas signed by Egypt, Saudi Arabia,
the United Arab Amirates and Qatar. Each
countrywill contribute$1.04 billion for capitaliza-
tion. [NYT]
Afghanistan
Feb. 26: The government issued a statement pro-
testing the US decision to lift the arms ban on
Pakistan. [FBIS]
an official visit to India. [MEED]
 CHRONOLOGY 333
Mar. 19: Planning Minister Ali Khorram began Cyprus
talks with Iraq's Industry Minister in Baghdad
on expanding Iraqi aid to Afghanistan. [MEED]
Mar. 20: President Dawud concluded a visit to
Iraq. [MEED] 1975
Mar. 21: Middle East Economic Digest reported
that India offered to help build the country's first Feb. 16: Greek Cypriot negotiator Glafkos Clerides
railroad. [MEED] arrived in New York to speak before the UN
Security Council. [NYT]
The USSR called for a "representativecon-
ference within the UN framework"to deal with
Algeria the Cyprus question. [NYT]
Feb. 19: UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim
1975 concludedtalks on the Cyprus problemin Ankara
and flew to Athens. [NYT]
Feb. 20: El-Moujahid quoted Interior Minister Feb. 20: Clerides asked the UN Security Council
Muhammad Abdel Ghani as saying the state to fix a deadline for the withdrawal of Turkey's
bureaucracywould be reformedby decentralizing troops from Cyprusand to restore Greek refugees
authority and breaking up concentrations of to their homes.
skilled personnel. [MEED] A Turkish Cypriot representative, Vedat
Apr. 3: The Feroug Dam near Mohammediawas Gelik, said the proclamationof a separate state
inaugurated.It began supplying water and power by Turkish Cypriots was an internal administra-
to the industrial center at Arzew and to Oran. tive act to improve social and economic services:
[MEED] "We are not seeking political recognition as a
Apr. 10: French President Valery Giscard d'Es- separate country." [NYT]
taing arrived for the 1st presidential visit since Feb. 21: UN Secretary General Waldheim urged
Algeria won independencefrom France. [NYT] that Cypriot negotiations be resumed "on a new
Apr. 12: Giscardd'Estaing concludedhis visit after agreed basis" and offered UN help to both sides.
it was agreed to go ahead with a $2 billion natural [NYT]
gas pipeline from Algeria to France. [MEED] Feb. 24: Clerides met in Washington, D.C. with
May 11: The government asked the Arab League US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. Sweden
to suspend preparationsfor talks with the Euro- and France urged the UN to take a large r6le
pean CommonMarket in protest against the trade in the problem. [NYT]
agreement with Israel. [NYT] A 50 member constituent assembly was sworn
in in the Turkish sector. [MEED]
Mar. 4: A bomb damaged the office of the Bishop
of Limassol. [JP]
Bahrayn Mar. 7: US Secretary of State Kissinger met with
Greek Foreign Minister Dimitrios Bitsios in
Athens to discuss the Cyprus problem. [NYT]
1975 Mar. 10: Kissinger flew to Ankara from Israel to
discuss the Cyprus situation. [NYT]
Feb. 16: UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim Mar. 11: Kissinger ended talks in Ankara and
arrived in Bahrayn as part of a Mideast tour. said he believed progress was made toward a
[MEED] solution in Cyprus and that talks might resume
Mar. 6: Bahrayn's Foreign Minister Shaykh Mu- soon. [NYT]
hammadbin Mubdrakal-Khalifah said the future Mar. 12: The UN Security Council passed a
of American naval facilities and commercialrela- resolution urging the Greeks and Turks of
tions would rely on "the American stand con- Cyprus to resume talks under the "personal
cerning peace and stability in the Middle East." auspices" of Waldheim. [NYT]
[NYT] Mar. 17: Turkish Cypriot leader Denkta* said he
Mar. 12: Bahrayn announcedthat it would assume would not attend renewed intercommunaltalks,
100% ownership of its oil. [MEES] but would be replaced by gelik. [MEED]
Mar. 14: The Middle East Economic Digest re- Apr. 1: Heavy firing broke out during the night
ported that the US agreed to a 600%oincrease in in Nicosia between Greek and Turkish troops.
the rent paid for the use of naval facilities. [NYT]
[MEED] Apr. 19: Clerides said he had withdrawnhis resig-
Apr. 26: An 8 man Chinese delegation arrived in nation tenderedbecauseof criticism of his "realis-
Bahrayn for talks on developing trade and co- tic evaluation." [MEED]
operation. [MEED] Apr. 27: Waldheim met with Greek and Turkish
334 THE MIDDLE EAST JOURNAL
Cypriot leaders in Vienna to prepare for the re-
sumption of negotiations. [WP]
Apr. 28: The 2 sides meeting in Vienna agreed to
set up a joint committee to study proposals for
a governmenton Cyprus. [NYT]
Apr. 29: Negotiators for both sides in Vienna said
progress was being made and UN officials said
the atmosphere was "good and constructive."
[WP]
May 3: Denktas and Clerides concludeda week of
talks in Vienna by agreeing in principle to re-
open the Nicosia airport. It was also agreed to
resume talks in Vienna on June 5. [NYT]
Apr. 16: Sadat swore in a new Cabinet:
Egypt
1975
Feb. 17: Premier 'Abd al-'Azlz HijAzl flew to
Britain for talks. [MEED]
Feb. 18: Foreign Minister Isma'il Fahmi said So-
viet Egyptian relations had made real progress
and that Soviet party leader Leonid Brezhnev
would soon visit Egypt. [NYT]
Feb. 19: The New York Times reported that US
intelligence sources said the USSR resumed the
delivery of advanced arms to Egypt with the
shipmentof 6 Mig 23 jet fighters to Alexandria.
[NYT]
Feb. 22: It was reported that the worst Nile flood
in 20 years killed at least 15 persons and dis-
placed 12,000 more between Cairo and Aswan.
[NYT]
Mar. 11: It was announced that 'Abd al-Qudus
was appointed chairman of al-Ahrdm and 'All
Hamdi al-Gamal was made Editor. [JP]
Mar. 12: President Anwar al-Sadat appointeda Na-
tional Press Council to draw up a code of ethics, Muhammad 'Abd al-Fattah Ibrahim: Insurance
arbitrate disputes and plan press expansion.
[NYT]
Mar. 21: It was announced that the population
reached 37 million. [MEED]
Mar. 22: United Press International reported that
1 man was killed and 40 or 50 arrested during
anti-government demonstrations in a weaving
plant in Mahalla al-Kubra on Mar. 21 [NYT]
Mar. 28: Algerian President Houari Boumedienne
met with President Sadat in Cairo. [MEED]
A4pr.3: Deputy Premier MamduihSalim said there
were no longer any political prisoners in Egypt.
[MEED]
Apr. 5: Cairo newspapersreportedthat a court or-
dered former War Minister 'Abd al-Ghani al-
Jamasi to pay $75,000 in damages to a prisoner
who was tortured under the regime of Gamal
'Abd al-Nasir. [NYT]
Apr. 11: It was announcedthat a tunnel was being
constructed under the Suez Canal. [MEED]
Apr. 12: Sadat said that despite the danger of war
with Israel, the policy of economic and political
liberalization in Egypt was "irreversible."
[NYTI
Apr. 13: Premier Hijazi resigned. [NYT]
Apr. 14: Mamdfih Salim was appointed Premier.
[MEED]
Sadat said the nation had 3 main domestic
problems: inflation,bureaucracyand profiteering.
He said that "parasitic activity" was increasing
and warned that he would not allow Egypt to
revert, under whatever circumstances, to that
state of affairs that existed before the revolu-
tion . . ." [MEED]
MamdfuhSalim: Prime Minister
MuhammadHafiz Ghanim:Deputy Prime Minis-
ter and Higher Education
Isma'il Fahmi: Deputy Prime Minister and
Foreign
Muhammad 'Abd al-Ghani al-Jamdsl: Deputy
Prime Minister and War
'Abd al-Latif Baltiyah: Manpower & Training
Ahmad Sultan: Electricity
Ibrahim Najib: Tourism
'A'ishah Ratib: Social Affairs
'Uthman Badran: Agriculture & Sudanese
Affairs
Ahmad Kamal Abui al-Majd: Information
Ahmad Kamal al-Badri: War Production
Yuisuf al-Sibd'i: Culture
Ahmad Fu'ad Muhyl al-Din: Health
Ahmad 'Izz al-Din Hil,A: Petroleum
'Abd al-Fattah 'Abdallah Mahmuid: State for
Cabinet Affairs & Control
Albert Barsum: State for People's Assembly Af-
fairs
'Uthm.dnAhmad 'Uthman: Housing & Recon-
struction
Mustafa Kamal Hilmi: Education
Muhammad Hamid Mahmuid: State for Local
Rule & Popular Organizations
'Abd al-Rahman al-Shadill: Supply
'Adil Yuinis: Justice
Mahmfid 'Abd al-Rahman Fahmi: Maritime
Transport
Ibrahim Ililml 'Abd al-Rahman: Planning &
Administrative Development
Husayn Fahmi: Interior
ZakariyyaTawfiq 'Abn al-FattMhyTrade
'Abd al-'Azm Abdallah Abfu al-'Ata': Irrigation
'Isa 'Abd al-Hamid ShAhin:Industry
Muhammad'Abd al-Mabuidal-Jubayli: Scientific
Research & Atomic Energy
Ahmad Ahmad AbfuIsma'il: Finance
Muhammad MuhammadZaki Shdfi'i: Economy
& Economic Cooperation
 CHRONOLOGY
Muhammad al-Sayyid Husayn al-Dhahabi:
Awqaf & Al-Azhar Affairs
Jamal al-Din MuhammadSidqi: Transport
Hamdi Abui Zayd: Civil Aviation
Air Force commander Husni Mubarak was
appointed Vice President. [NYT]
Apr. 17: Japan announced a loan of $140 million
to widen the Suez Canal. [WP]
The government said an "abusive" note was
receivedfrom Libya threateningto sever relations
and to take action against Egyptians working in
Libya. [WP]
Apr. 19: Foreign Minister Fahmi flew to the
USSR for an official visit. [NYT]
Apr. 24: Sadat concludeda visit to Iran and talks
with the Shah. [NYT]
Apr. 27: Premier Salim said the "open door" eco-
nomic policy would be continued and that some
remaining restrictions on foreign investment in
Egypt should be removed. [MEED]
May 1: Sadat said the USSR had rejected a re-
quest to reschedule Egypt's debt. [NYT]
May 12: Sadat arrived in Kuwayt at the start of a
10 day tour of Arab countries. [NYT]
May 14: Sadat, in an interview with Beirut's al-
Hawadith, said he would seek US aid to settle
Egypt's debts to the Soviet Union. [NYT]
Iran
1975
Feb. 16: The administration of President Gerald
Ford gave approval for Iran to buy $300 million, to the public by 1979. [MEED]
or 13%, of Pan American World Airways.
Feb. 17: While on vacation in Switzerland, the
Shah met with French President Valery Giscard May 9: The Shah, during a visit to Venezuela,
d'Estaing for talks on energy problems. [MEED]
Feb. 22: The Shah returned from talks and vaca-
tioning in Europe. [MEED]
Feb. 25: A trade agreement was signed with the May 15: The Shah conferred with President Ford
USSR worth about $3 billion and would include
Iranian financing for a paper mill in the USSR.
[JP]
Mar. 2: The Shah declared Iran a one party state
led by a new party, the National Resurrection
Party, for "at least the next 2 years" and that
Premier Amir Huvayda would head the party.
The Shah also said that 49% of all private in-
dustry would be sold to the workers and 99%s 1975
of all government owned industry, except key
industries, would be sold to workers with the Feb. 21: Beirut's al-Nahar quoted Vice President
government holding 1% on all management
rights. He also announced a new minimum
monthly wage of $184. [NYT]
335
Mar. 4: It was announcedthat the state would pur-
chase up to 8 nuclear reactors from the US
as part of a $15 billion trade agreement. US
Secretary of State Henry Kissinger called it the
"largest agreement of this kind that has been
signed between 2 countries." [WP]
Mar. 7: The Shah returned from an OPEC sum-
mit conferencein Algiers and said that the agree-
ment signed with Iraq "finally" ended the
"ancient differences" between the 2 countries.
[NYT]
Mar. 15: Talks began in Tehran between Foreign
Minister 'Abbas Khal'at'bari and Iraqi Foreign
Minister Sa'duin Hamadi on implementing the
Mar. 5 Algiers accord with Iraq. Algerian For-
eign Minister Abdel Aziz Bouteflika was also
present. [NYT]
Mar. 16: Australian Deputy Premier James Cairnes
arrived for talks on expanding trade. [MEED]
Apr. 7: Two men who hijacked an Iraqi plane to
Tehran were executed. [NYT]
Apr. 9: China's Vice Premier Li Hsien Nien con-
cluded a 5 day visit and it was agreed to expand
economic relations. [MEED]
The Shah said Kurdish leader Mustafa Bara-
zani had taken up residence with his family
"somewhere near Tehran." He added that Iran
ended its support of the Kurdish rebellion in
Iraq because it "was useless bloodshedthat could
not come to anything so it had to be settled."
[JP]
Apr. 24: Egyptian President Anwar al-Sadat ar-
rived for talks with the Shah. [CSM]
Apr. 26: Afghani President Muhammad Dawud
arrived for a 4 day visit. [FBIS]
Apr. 27: The Shah issued a decree stating that
49% of private companiesand 90%,of state com-
panies, oil and tobacco excluded, would be sold
Apr. 29: Iraqi Vice President Siddam Husayn al-
Takriti arrived for an official visit. [MEED]
joined with President Carlos Andres Peres in
calling for a quick resumptionto talks prepara-
tory to a world energy conference. [NYT]
on the first day of a visit to the US.
Iraq
Siddam Husayn al-Takriti as saying Iraq would
produce30 million barrels of oil annually beyond
its own needs to finance aid to other countries.
336 THE MIDDLE EAST JOURNAL
He said an Egyptian request to purchase 1 mil-
lion tons of oil was answered by an immediate
decision to send Egypt the oil together with a
"reproach" to Egypt for offering to pay.
[MEES]
Feb. 25: Egyptian Special Envoy Ashraf Marwan
arrived for a meeting with President Ijasan al-
Bakr. [FBIS]
Feb. 27: Beirut's Beirut magazine reported that
Syria was providing military assistance to Kur-
dish rebels in northern Iraq. [NYT]
Mar. 1: A new trade agreement was signed with
Egypt after a 10 day visit to Baghdad by Egyp-
tian Economy Minister Muhammad Dhfu al-
Fiqar. [MEED]
Security guards killed 1 hijacker and captured
2 after an Iraqi jet airliner was hijacked to
Tehran. [NYT]
Mar. 6: At the conclusionof a conferenceof OPEC
heads of state in Algeria, Algerian President
Houari Boumedienne announced that an agree-
ment was reached between Iraq and Iran that
"completely eliminated the conflict between the
two brotherly countries."
The Iraq News Agency reported that Egypt
agreed to send 500 farm families to set up an
agricultural cooperative and farm land near
Baghdad. [JP]
Mar. 7: A communiquewas issued in Algiers say-
ing that Iraq and Iran agreed to "proceed with
a permanentdemarcationof their land frontiers,"
to "delimit their river frontiers according to the
Thalweg line" and to control their borders "with
a view to definitive cessation of all subversive
infiltrations on both sides." [NYT]
Army units launcheda major offensive against
the Kurds. [NYT]
Mar. 8: A general amnesty for Kurdish rebels was
issued to last until April 1. [FBIS]
Mar. 10: The InternationalHuman Rights Federa-
tion reportedthat the governmentlauncheda ma-
jor offensive against the Kurdish rebels in the
north. [CSM]
Kurdish spokesmenreportedthat a government
offensive begun against Kurdish rebels on Mar.
7 was making rapid progress. [NYT]
Mar. 11: A Kurdish spokesman, Aziz Reza, said
the Iranian decision to cut off supplies to the
Kurds was a "serious setback for our efforts to
achieve real autonomy." He said the Kurdish
struggle for Kurdish autonomy and democracy
in Iraq would continue and that the Kurds were
switching to guerrilla tactics. [NYT]
Mar. 12: The New York Times quoted sources in
Tehran as saying the Kurds were running out of
supplies because Iran ceased sending them across
the border following the Algiers agreement.
[NYT]
Mar. 13: The government announced a 2 week
ceasefire with Kurdish rebels at the request of
Iran to allow Kurdish refugees to cross to Iran.
But fighting was reported to be continuing.
[NYT]
Mar. 15: A Kurdish spokesmanin Iran said fight-
ing in Iraq had ceased. [NYT]
Mar. 22: Kurdish leader Mustafd Barazdni said
that "the fighting is over," that the Kurds had
no foreign supportand that he might take refuge
in the US. [NYT]
Mar. 25: Irrigation Minister Mukarram al-Tala-
bani said Euphrates water flowing from Syria
reached a record low and that cultivation in the
Euphrates basin was only 4% of its previous
totals. [MEED]
Mar. 26: Iran's Premier 'Abbas Huvayda arrived
for an official 4 day visit. [FBIS]
Two agreements were signed with Egypt call-
ing for cooperation in agriculture, industry,
tourism and energy. [MEED]
Mar. 29: Turkey reported heavy fighting between
Iraqi troops and Kurds near the Turkish border.
[NYT]
A joint communique was issued at the con-
clusion of Huvayda's visit saying the 2 sides
were determined to "expand cooperation in all
fields of mutual interest." [FBIS]
Mar. 31: The general amnesty for Kurds who
chose to surrender was extended to April 30.
[FBIS]
A joint committee with Iran began work on
defining the land border between the two.
[MEED]
The army was ordered to advance into Kurd-
ish held areas and to take control. [NYT]
Apr. 3: Tunisia's Foreign Minister Habib Chatti
held talks in Baghdad on obtaining $15 million
aid for Tunisia. [MEED]
Apr. 7: Constructionwas inauguratedon the Iraqi
Turkish Pipeline to run from Kirkuk to Dortyol
on Turkey's Mediterraneancoast. [MEES]
Iraq announced a request for an emergency
meeting of the Arab League to discuss Syria's
"blocking"of Euphrates River water. [MEED]
Apr. 8: Sudan's President Ja'far al-Numayri ar-
rived in Baghdad for 5 days of talks on $100 mil-
lion worth of development aid for Sudan.
[MEED]
Apr. 9: Sudan's Economy Minister Ma'muinBi-
hayri began talks in Baghdad on developing eco-
nomic cooperation. [FBIS]
Apr. 12: Irrigation Minister al-Talabani said Iraq
would have to import rice in 1975, rather than
export it as in the past, because of Syria's
Euphrates water policy. [MEED]
Apr. 14: Vice President Takriti arrived in the So-
viet Union for an official visit. [NYT]
Apr. 15: An agreement for the peaceful develop-
ment of nuclear energy was signed with the So-
viet Union. [MEED]
Apr. 18: A border agreement was signed with
Saudi Arabia. Saudi negotiator 'Abd al-Rahman
al-Shaykh said the agreementwas in "accordance
 CHRONOLOGY
with a previous agreement."It was also agreed
to repair the 1200 kilometer Navaf to Medina
Road. [MEED]
Apr. 19: The Foreign Ministers of Iran and Al-
geria began talks in Baghdad on implementing Apr. 30: After talks in France, Allon said "the
the Algiers accord. [JP]
Apr. 27: Takriti called for a regional defense struc- changed for the better." [NYT]
ture in the Gulf area to replace all foreign mili- May 9: Michael Tzur pleaded guilty to 14 counts
tary bases. [MEED]
Apr. 28: Syria said Iraq had executed 35 people
in a new crackdown on political dissidents and
that more arrests and trials were expected. [JP]
May 4: A military parade was held in Baghdad May 11: A freight train was derailed by saboteurs
celebrating the end of the Kurdish rebellion.
[JP]
Israel
1975
Feb. 18: President Ephraim Katzir canceled a trip
to Nepal for the coronation of King Birenda be-
cause "certain elements intend to cause dis-
turbances during the ceremony." [NYT]
Feb. 24: The government presented a new budget
to the Knesset. It would total $9.38 billion, up
$1 billion over the previous year and would in-
crease taxes between 7%'oand 20%. [NYT]
Feb. 26: Foreign Minister Yigal Allon began an
official visit to West Germany. [JP]
Feb. 28: Foreign Minister Allon concluded an of-
ficial visit to West Ger-many.He said he was
very "satisfied"with the talks. [NYT]
Mar. 2: The governmentcompromisedin talks with
the General Federation of Labor, Histadrut, and
agreed to lower a proposednew tax on payrolls
from 71/2% to 4%. [NYT]
The Cabinet voted to abolish the Ministry of
Information. [JP]
Mar. 3: President Katzir met in Washington with
President Gerald Ford. [NYT]
Mar. 16: Katzir concluded a visit to the US.
[NYT]
Apr. 14: The government publicly unveiled the 1st
Israeli built jet fighter, the "Kfir." [NYT]
Apr. 16: Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin called for
social reform to end corruption and for reform
of the "antiquated"Histadrut trade union or-
ganization. [JP]
Apr. 24: A police spokesman said 8 former De-
fense Ministry officials and several private de-
fense contractors were arrested and would be
charged with corruption. He said other arrests
were expected. [NYT]
Apr. 27: The Cabinet approved the establishment
of Israel's first nuclear power station. [NYT]
Apr. 29: A security guard at the Israeli Embassy
337
in South Africa surrenderedafter holding hos-
tages in a siege at the embassy that lasted 16
hours. Two persons were killed and 30 wounded.
[NYT]
atmosphere" between Israel and France "had
of larceny, bribery and corruption growing out
of his managementof and association in Israel
Corporation,Ltd., Zim Navigation and Oil Re-
fineries, Ltd. [NYT]
who had removed a 58 foot section of rail outside
Jerusalem. [NYT]
The government signed a trade treaty with
the European Common Market. [NYT]
May 13: The US and Israel announcedagreement
on a package of economic accords and issued a
statement which "reaffirmedthe policies of their
governmentsto oppose restrictive trade practices
or boycotts against countries friendly to either."
[NYT]
Jordan
1975
Mar. 1: An earthquake in Taybeh made 500 per-
sons homeless. [MEED]
Mar. 8: Sultan Qabfis of Oman arrived for talks
with King Ijusayn. [JP]
Apr. 6: An agreement was signed in Amman with
Syria removing trade restrictions such as the
need for import and export licenses between the
2 countries. [MEED]
Apr. 9: Iraqi Labor Minister Wahid Ibrahim
concluded a 5 day official visit. A joint com-
munique said it was agreed to strengthen and
expand bilateral relations. [FBIS]
Apr. 17: Rumanian President Nicolae Ceausescu
ended a 4 day official visit. [WP]
Apr. 20: King Ijusayn returned from talks in
Saudi Arabia and Oman. [FBIS]
Apr. 28: Husayn ended a 4 day visit to France and
flew to the US. [MEED]
Apr. 29: Husayn met in the US with President
Gerald Ford. [MEED]
Kuwayt
1975
Feb. 18: The New York Times cited officialsources
as saying that the government would try to get
338 THE MIDDLE EAST JOURNAL
US military experts to train Kuwaytis in Kuwayt
in the use of $250 million worth of US arms pur-
chased in Dec. 1974. [NYT]
Mar. 12: Oil Minister 'Abd al-Muttalib Kazimi
said at the opening talks with the oil companies
that he expected the negotiations would move
swiftly because the companiesagreed in principle
to the government's take over. [PO]
Mar. 15: The government announceda temporary
ban on dollar transactionsuntil the world mone-
tary situation "clears up." [NYT]
Mar. 18: The dinar's link with the US dollar was
severed and a new exchange system linking the
dinar to 16 European currencies and the IMF's
Special Drawing Rights came into effect.
[MEED]
Lebanon
1975
Feb. 26: One soldier was killed and several
wounded during a demonstrationin Sidon pro-
testing the government'sgranting of an exclusive
fishing franchise to a large fishing company.
[NYT]
Feb. 27: Thousands demonstratedin Beirut, Sidon
and Tripoli against a government decision to
award coastal fishing rights to a large commer-
cial company. [JP]
Feb. 28: The Cabinet met in emergency session
to discuss demonstrationsand strikes in the south concession granted the Proteine Co. to waters
and it was announced that Henri Lahfid, the
governor of the region, was given "administrative concession was for exclusive right to the entire
leave." [JP]
Mar. 1: A military communique said 2 soldiers
were killed and 16 people wounded in Sidon
when soldiers tried to remove roadblocks in the
town put up by protesting fishermen. [NYT]
Mar. 2: Army troops fought with fishermenin Si-
don for the 5th day. A military spokesman said
5 soldiers were killed and 10 wounded as the
rebels used rockets against army troop carriers
and armored cars. Premier Rashid al-Sulh said
in the evening that the situation was "completely 2 Liberals and 2 independents.[WP]
restored to normal." [WP]
A cease fire began between police and demon-
strators in Sidon. [JP]
Mar. 5: Thousands of demonstrators filled the
streets of Beirut in support of the army against
"attacks of leftist political groups." [JP]
Mar. 7: Demonstratorsclosed down the streets of
Beirut, Tripoli and Sidon while marching in
funeral processions for leftist leader MaruifSa'd
who was killed during clashes in Sidon. [JP]
Mar. 9: Premier al-Sulh said he was determined
to remain in office and to press for reorganization 1975
of the army and granting of citizenship to long
time foreign residents. [MEED]
Mar. 11: The New York Times reported that
Muslims were demanding a reorganization of
the Army Commandto win an equal voice for
Muslims in military decisions. [NYT]
Mar. 14: A 2 week old general strike in Sidon
ended after the government promised to attend
to the local grievances. [MEED]
Apr. 7: Health Minister Majid Arslan submitted
his resignation but it was reported that Presi-
dent Sulayman Franjiyyah refused to accept it.
[MEED]
Apr. 13: Fighting broke out in Beirut between
membersof the Christianconservative Phalangist
Party and Palestinian guerrillas. At least 22 per-
sons were killed. [NYT]
Apr. 14: Generalstrikes were called by Palestinians
and Phalangists as street fighting between them
spread to Tripoli, Tyre and Sidon. [NYT]
Apr. 15: Street fighting between Phalangists and
Palestinians continued in Beirut. Over 100 peo-
ple were reported killed. Premier al-Sulh said
14 persons believed connected with the outbreak
of fighting had been arrested and he hoped there
would be "a settlement tonight." [NYT]
Apr. 16: A cease fire agreement was reached be-
tween the Palestinians and Phalangists with the
mediation of Arab League Secretary General
MahmiudRiyad. [NYT]
Apr. 17: Small skirmishes continuedin Beirut and
Premier al-Sulh said the cease fire was "80 to
90% effective." [NYT]
Apr. 18: Middle East Economic Digest reported
that the government decided to limit the fishing
beyond 18 kilometers from shore. The original
coastline and it sparkedviolent demonstrationsin
Sidon. [MEED]
Apr. 19: Beirut was reported near normal for the
1st day since Apr. 13. [NYT]
Mav 5: Bombs exploded at a Phalangist Party of-
fice and at the pro-Palestinian newspaper Al-
Mujharir,both in Beirut. [NYT]
May 7: Six Ministers resigned from the Cabinet
after criticizing the handling of the Phalangist-
Palestinian clash. The six included2 Phalangists,
May 13: Four Cabinet members resigned. [NYT]
May 15: Premier al-Sulh resigned. He said the
Phalangist Party was responsible for the civil
strife in April and he called for political reform
giving Muslims a greater share of political and
military power. [NYT]
Libya
Feb. 22: Le Monde quoted Revolution Command
 CHRONOLOGY
Council Chairman Mu'ammar al-QadhdhMfias
saying he would not attend the OPEC summit
conference in Algiers; he also said that Libya
delivered a "sizeable quantity of arms" to
Lebanon. [MEES]
Feb. 27: A ban was proclaimedon "certain"Egyp-
tian newspapers which allegedly spoke with a
"voice for imperialism."[FBIS]
Mar. 3: Iraqi Vice President Siddam Husayn al-
Takriti met in Tripoli with Premier 'Abd al-
Salam Jallfid. [MEED]
Mar. 5: The Tunis Africa-Press Agency reported
that up to 40 student demonstrators were ar-
rested in Benghazi in Feb. for criticizing Revo-
lutionary Command Council Chairman Qadhd-
hafl. [JP]
Apr. 9: Sudan's al-Sahafa quoted Qadhdhafi as
saying Libya was planning to become a nuclear
state "for the good of peace." [MEED]
Apr. 20: An Irish delegationbegan talks in Tripoli
on the possibility of opening trade between the
2 countries. [JP]
Apr. 22: A spokesman for an Irish Parliamentary
delegation said it received assurances that Libya
would not interfere in Irish affairs and that
Irish companies would be taking part in Libyan
construction projects. [MEED]
Apr. 26: Premier concluded 2 trade agreements
with East Germanyand flew to Italy. [MEED]
Apr. 27: London'sSunday Telegraph reported that
Bulgaria was helping to construct a line of anti Feb. 17: President Bhutto assumed direct control
tank fortifications along the border with Egypt.
[MEED]
Morocco
1975
Feb. 23: The new oppositionParti du Progres et dut
Socialisme concluded its first national congress.
[MEED]
Mar. 3: King Hasan announced that the October Feb. 24: The US announcedthat the 10 year old
elections would be postponedto preserve national
unity while Morocco pressed Spain for the re-
turn of Spanish Sahara. [MEED]
Mar. 15: Foreign Minister Ahmad Laraki arrived
in Peking on an official visit. [MEED]
Apr. 7: Patrol boats seized 1 Spanish fishing boat
inside the 70 mile limit. A second boat escaped Mar. 4: A $60 million trade pact was signed with
with the help of a Spanish destroyer. [MEED]
May 4: French President Valery Giscardd'Estaing
arrived for the first visit by a French President Mar. 10: Bhutto denied reports that Pakistan
since the protectorate ended. [JP]
Oman
1975
Feb. 27: Oman received 15 British made Hawker-
339
Hunter jet fighters from Jordan as a gift.
[OmianNeuws]
Feb. 28: The LibyantNews Agency reported that
Libyan Command Council Chairman Mu'ammar
al-Qadhdhafi sent a warning to Oman and the
Arab League that Libya would wage war against
Sultan Qabius unless Iranian troops were ex-
pelled from Oman. [JP]
Mar. 1: Am4iman Radio reported that 31 Jordanian
Hawker Hunter jet fighters were given to Oman,
and a combat battalion sent to Dhufar. [MEED]
Mar. 5: Italian President Giovanni Leone made a
1 day visit to Oman. [FBIS]
Apr. 1: A Central Bank was established. [MEES]
Pakistan
1975
Feb. 16: Premier Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's ruling
People's Party lost a byelection in Hyderabadin
Bhutto's home province of Sind. The Provincial
Assembly seat was won by the Party of Religious
Scholars. [CSM]
over the Northwest Province. He said: "Since a
foreign neighboring force is actively involved in
disrupting normal life in the province there can
hardly be any doubt that this is a situationbeyond
the power of the provincial government to con-
trol." [WP]
Feb. 18: Indian Foreign Minister Y.B. Chavan
said he sent the US a letter on Jan. 28 warning
of the harmful effect on Indian US relations
which a resumptionof arms supplies to Pakistan
would have. [NYT]
ban on arms sales to Pakistan and India was
lifted. [NYT]
Feb. 25: The Shah of Iran arrived for a 3 day
visit. [MEED]
Feb. 27: The Shah of Iran concluded a visit and
talks with Bhutto. [FBIS]
the USSR according to The Christian Science
Monitor. [CSM]
would offer military bases to the US in return
for new arms supplies. [JP]
Apr. 22: China's Vice Premier Li Hsien Nien met
in Rawalpindi with Bhutto. [FBIS]
May 7: Chief Minister Nasrullah Khan Khattak
and 5 other Cabinet members were sworn in
Northwest Frontier Province, ending 3 months
of direct rule by the federal government. [NYT]
340 THE MIDDLE EAST JOURNAL
Qatar
1975
Mar. 2: Qatar's Minister of Justice Shaykh 'Abd
al-Rahman al-Thani died in an accident.
[FBIS]
Mar. 18: Qatar severed the link of the riyal to the
US dollar. [MEED]
Saudi Arabia
1975
Feb. 16: King Faysal met with Syrian Foreign
Minister 'Abd al-Halim Khaddam in Riyadh.
[MEED]
Feb. 17: Oil Minister Shaykh Ahmad Zaki Yamani
denied reports that the governmentwas consider-
ing long term agreements to sell oil at reduced
prices. [NYT]
Feb. 24: Algerian Foreign Minister Abdul Aziz
Bouteflika arrived for a 1 day visit. [FBIS]
Mar. 1: A 5 year economic and technical coopera-
tion agreement was signed with Japan. [MEES]
Mar. 5: The President of Italy, Giovanni Leone,
concluded an official visit and talks with King
Faysal and initialeda technicalcooperationagree-
ment. [FBIS]
Libya's CommandCouncilChairmanMu'ammar
al-Qadhdhafiarrived for an official visit and met
with King Faysal. [FBIS]
Mar. 7: Libya's Chairmanal-QadhdhMficoncluded
a 3 day visit. [MEED]
Mar. 12: Kuwayt's Premier Shaykh Jabir al-
Ahmad al-Sabah concludeda 4 day visit. A joint
communique said the problems of the Neutral
Zone Partition Agreement were discussed and
solutions "agreed" upon. Defense Minister Sul-
tan 'Abd al-'Aziz said the broadoutlines of an off-
shore boundariesagreementwere also determined.
[MEES]
Mar. 14: The government announced that the
Saudi Riyal's link to the US dollar was cut. This
raised the riyal's value by 2.3%. [NYT]
Mar. 17: It was announced that aid extended to
foreign countries in the 2 years up to Feb. 1975
totalled $4.6 billion. [MEED]
Mar. 25: King Faysal was assassinated by a
nephew, Faysal ibn Musa'id Abd al-'Aziz, dur-
ing a reception in the palace in Riyadh. An of-
ficial announcement said the assassin was
"mentally deranged." Crown Prince Khalid ibn
'Abd al-'Aziz al-Sa'uid was crowned King. 1975
[NYT]
Mar. 26: Faysal was buried in Riyadh. [NYT]
Mar. 28: King Khalid issued a decree keeping the
Cabinet of King Faysal with King Khilid as
Premier and Foreign Minister. [NYT]
Mar. 29: King KhVlidmade the following appoint-
ments to the Council of Ministers:
Amir Fahd ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz: First Vice Presi-
dent
Amir 'Abdallah ibn 'Abd al-'Azlz: Second Vice
President
Amir Nayif ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz: Minister of State
for Interior Affairs
Sa'fid al-Faysal ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz: Minister of
State for Foreign Affairs
Mar. 31: Deputy Premier Prince Fahd delivered a
policy statement of the new government. It said
that the building of Saudi military forces would
continue, that the nation would do everything
possible "to regain the lost rights of the Pales-
tinian people," that a "consultative assembly"
would be established in the governmentand that
Faysal's policies would be continued. [NYT]
Apr. 6: An amnesty was declared for all political
prisoners "who have shown good conduct."
[FBIS]
Apr. 12: The chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of
Staff, George Brown, arrived for talks with
King Khalid on arms sales. [MEED]
Apr. 19: The director of the border security force
returned from talks in Iraq. He said that a
border agreement was signed which "fixed the
final demarcationin accordance with a previous
agreement"concluded with Iraq. [FBIS]
King Ijusayn of Jordan met in Riyadh with
King Khalid.
Apr. 23: President Anwar al-Sadat of Egypt con-
cluded a 3 day visit and talks with King Khalid.
[MEED]
Apr. 28: The Shah of Iran arrived for a 2 day visit
and talks with King Khalid. [NYT]
Apr. 29: The Shah of Iran concludeda 2 day visit.
[CSM]
May 9: The New York Times reported that gov-
ernment sources said US Secretary of State
Henry Kissinger, in a recent message, indicated
US readiness to revive efforts to bring about a
conference of oil consumers and producers.
[NYT]
May 10: Negotiations toward a $2 million technical
assistance contract between Massachusetts Insti-
tute of Technology and the Saline Water Con-
version Corporationbroke down over the issue
of visas. [NYT]
South Yemen
Feb. 27: It was reported that Libyan Revolution
CommandCouncilmember'AbdallIhal-Muhayshi
 CHRONOLOGY
concluded an official visit after it was agreed to
"'putan end to Iranian infiltration in the Arab
Gulf area and to support the Omani revolu-
tionaries." [FBIS]
Mar. 3: The governmentpermittedthe landing of a
German airliner with 5 German hijackers and
several hostages aboard. The 5 fugitives were
leftist radicals who had kidnappeda German po-
litical leader. [NYT]
Mar. 8: The government said it expelled the 5
West Germans who were let out of prison in
Germany as ransom payment for a kidnapped
German political leader. [NYT]
Apr. 4: It was announced that 2 new Ministries
were formed and Ministers appointed to head
them:
MahmuidSa'id Mudhi: Trade & Supply
'Abd al-'Aziz 'Abd al-Wall: Industry
Rashid MuhammadThabit was appointedMinis-
ter of State for Cabinet Affairs. [FBIS]
Apr. 21: Libyan Chief of Staff Abu Bakr Yuinis
concludedan official 3 day visit. [FBIS]
Sudan
1975
Mar. 5: Libya's Command Council Chairman
Mu'ammaral-Qadhdhdficoncludeda 4 day visit
and talks with President Ja'far Numayri. A
joint communiquesaid the 2 sides agreed to ex-
plore means of carrying out the Tripoli Charter.
[FBIS]
Mar. 11: The Defense Ministry reported that 8
army soldiers were killed in the performanceof
their duties in Akobo in the southern region.
[JP]
Mar. 23: The Cabinet announcedthat all obstacles
to Arab investment in the country would be re-
moved at once and said a special office to deal
with Arab investmentwould be set up. [MEED]
Apr. 2: President Numayri signed a decree creating
a Ministry of Cooperation. [FBIS]
Apr. 6: Holland promised $10 million in develop-
ment aid during a visit of Dutch Minister
Johannes Pronk.
Apr. 11: Middle East Economic Digest reported
that 30,000 Eritrean refugees had fled from
Ethiopia's civil strife to Sudan. [MEED]
Apr. 22: Qandil Ibrahim was appointed Minister
of Cooperation.[FBIS]
Apr. 27: The Sudanese News Agency said Numayri
was mediating the dispute between Egypt and
Libya and that both sides welcomed the efforts.
[MEED]
341
Syria
1975
Feb. 27: The US agreed to loan the government
$20 million and to give $5 million as a grant for
developmentprojects. [MEES]
Mar. 1: Jordan's Premier Zayd al-Rifi'i arrived
for official talks. [JP]
Mar. 4: Agreement signed with Jordan.
Mar. 15: Algerian Foreign Minister Abdel Aziz
Bouteflikaended an official visit. [MEED]
Mar. 17: The government signed a "production
sharing service contract" with a group of US
companies to explore for offshore oil. [MEES]
Mar. 29: It was announced that the Socialist
Unionists Party would merge with the Ba'th
Party. [MEED]
Apr. 3: Jordan's King Ijusayn arrived for a 1 day
visit and talks with President HIfiZ al-Asad.
[FBIS]
Apr. 5: The Ba'th Party's 6th Regional Congress
opened in Damascus. [MEED]
Apr. 8: Beirut press reports said between 100 and
200 senior Ba'th Party members were arrested
in March on charges of spying for Iraq. [WP]
Apr. 9: Saudi Minister of State MuhammadAbil
al-Khayl arrived for talks on expanding eco-
nomic relations. [FBIS]
Apr. 10: Saudi Arabia agreed to loan Syria $220
million for economicdevelopmentplans. [MEED]
Apr. 12: The government denouncedan Iraqi re-
quest for the Arab League to discuss Iraq's
charge that Syria was withholding Euphrates
water from Iraq. The Syrian government said
the waters question was technical in nature and
did not require discussion by Arab ministers.
[NYT]
Apr. 14: The Ba'th Party Congress ended after
electing new leadershipfor the 21 membercentral
committee.Premier MahmfidAyyubi lost his seat
on the committee. [MEED]
Apr. 15: Information Minister Ahmad Iskandar
confirmed that arrests were made among the
Ba'th Party but said these were only a "handful"
and denied that army officers were involved.
[MEED]
Apr. 19: The governmentissued a statement accus-
ing Iraq of "procrastination"in negotiating a
definitive settlement of the distribution of Eu-
phrates water. [MEED]
Apr. 22: The Arab League decided to appoint a
technical committee to meet with Syria and Iraq
in Riyadh and discuss the Euphrates dispute.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Sa'duinIjammidi said
the dispute was politically motivated. [MEED]
342 THE MIDDLE EAST JOURNAL

Tunisia Mar. 19: President Korutiirk asked the leader of

1975
Mar. 9: Iraqi Vice President Siddam Husayn al-
Takriti ended a 2 day visit and it was announced Mar. 27: The government declared martial law in
that Iraq would loan Tunisia $15 million for de-
velopment projects. [MEED]
Mar. 19: The National Assembly approved con-
stitutional changes making President Habib Mar. 31: A new Cabinetwas announced:
Bourguiba President for Life and providing for
the Premier to become interim President if the
President's office becomes vacant. [MEED]
Bourguiba said the country faced no external
danger, but did face danger "only from inside."
He warned against "strikes, tribal strife and the
thirst for power." [MEED]
Mar. 25: It was announcedthat the World Bank
would loan Tunisia $80 million to $90 million for
developmentprojects in 1975. [MEED]
Mar. 26: Libya's Chairman Mu'ammaral-Qadhd-
hafi left after talks with Bourguiba. [FBIS]
Apr. 1: Premier Hedi Nouira arrived in Peking for
an 8 day visit. [MEED]
Turkey
1975
Feb. 16: Defense Minister Ilhami Sancar said the
government was negotiating with 5 West Euro-
pean powers to buy arms. [WP]
It was reported that 4 persons died and 53
were injured in clashes between left and right
wing factions in Malatya. [MEED]
West German officials said their government
was consideringextending military aid to Turkey.
Feb. 24: Police and army troops broke up violent
clashes between left and right wing demonstra-
tors in Erzincan for the second day. One hundred
persons were reported injured. [JP]
Feb. 27: London'sFinancial Times quoted Defense Apr. 6: Demirel presented his program to the
Minister Sancar as saying: "We are working on
nuclear energy. There are plans to manufacture
atom bombs and nuclear reactors. We have
reached a fairly advanced state in rocket manu-
facture." [JP]
Mar. 1: President Fahri Korutiirk asked Premier
Sadi Irmak to form a national coalition govern- Apr. 7: Greecechargedthat Turkish planes violated
ment and he appeared during a national radio
broadcast to the political parties to support Apr. 8: Defense Minister Ferit Melen said Greek
Irmak's efforts. [NYT]
Mar. 13: Sadi Irmak said his efforts to form a
national coalition government failed and blamed
this on the polarization of right and left. He Apr. 12: The National Assembly gave a vote of
said he would stay on as acting Premier. [JP]
the Justice Party, SuileymanDemirel, to form a
government. [MEED]
Mar. 20: Fighting broke out at Gazi Institute in
Ankara between left and right wing students and
12 students were arrested. [MEED]
4 provinces along the Iraqi border to prevent
Kurdish rebels fleeing Iraq from entering
Turkey. [NYT]
Suleyman Demirel. PrimiieAMiniister
Necmettin Erbakan: State and Deputy, Primiie
Minister
Turhan Feyzioglu: State and Deputy Prime Min-
ister
Alpaslan Tuirkes: State and Depuxtyt Prime Miii-
ister
Seyfi Oztiirk: State
Hasan Aksay: State
Mustafa Kemal Erkovan: State
Giyasettin Karaca: State
Ismail Miuftiioglu:Justice
Ferid Melen: Defense
Oguzhan Asiltuirk: Interior
thsan Sabri (aklayangil: Foreign Affairs
Yilmaz Ergenekon: Finanice
Ali Naili Erdem: Education
Fehim Adak: Public Works
Halil Basol: Trade
Kemal Demin: Health & Social Welfare
Orhan Oztrak: Customs & Monopolies
Korkut Ozal: Food-Agricultutreand Animal Hus-
bandry
Nahit Mentese: Communiications
Ahmet Tevfik Paksu: Labor
AbduilkerimDogru: Indutstrv& Technology
Salahattin Kilit: Energy & Natural Resources
Lutfi Tokoglu: Tourism
Nurettin Ok: Housing & Resettlement
Vefa Poyraz: Village Affairs
Turhan Kapanli: Forestry
Ali $evki Erek: Youth & Sports
Rifki Danisman: Culture
Ahmet Mahir Ablum: Social Security
National Assembly calling for supporting a "bi-
zonal" solution on Cyprus, opposing Greece's
extension of territorial waters to 12 miles, staying
in NATO, developing the eastern provinces and
extending health and unemployment benefits.
[MEED]
Greek airspace. [MEED]
charges of violations of Greek airspacewere false
and said Greece was massing troops on the
Dodecanese Islands. [MEED]
confidenceto the Demirel governmentby a count
 CHRONOLOGY
of 222 to 218 with 2 abstentions and 5 absences. Apr. 22: Special Envoy Ahmad al-Shami was shot
[NYT]
Apr. 17: The lira was devalued 1% against the Apr. 24: The governmentclosed down its embassy
dollar. [MEED]
Apr. 24: Rioting between left and right wing stu-
dents at Istanbul University resulted in 1 death
and 3 injuries. [WP]
Apr. 27: NATO Secretary General Joseph Luns
said NATO would soon begin shipping weapons
to Turkey to compensatefor the cut off in US
supplies. [MEED]
May 13: Premier Demirel was assaulted by a man 1975
with brass knuckles and his nose fractured.
[NYT]
United Arab Amirates
1975
Feb. 16: The New York Times reported that Abu
Dhabi was "in danger of going into debt partly
because oil production had been cut by 50% in
recent months." [NYT]
Feb. 20: Abu Dhabi's Oil Minister warned that Mar. 4: The first summit meeting of OPEC heads
the oil companies in his country would face
retaliation unless they raise oil production by
40% from 700,000barrels per day to 1.2 million.
He said productioncuts in January were "an in-
terference in the internal politics" of Abu Dhabi.
[NYT]
Apr. 15: Oil Minister Sa'id Utaybah charged that
the states of the UAA were not cooperating in
oil policy. [MEES]
Apr. 18: Oil Minister Utaybah was quoted by
Middle East Economic Survey as saying that
while UAA still favored the principle of 100%o bilization" of oil prices provided the agenda for
takeover of the oil industry, it still lacked the
trained people to run the industry and should
not move "hastily."[MEES]
Yemen
1975
Feb. 25: A military court sentencedto death a man Apr. 20: Saudi Oil Minister Shaykh Ahmad Zaki
who hijacked a Yemeni DC-3 which landed in
Saudi Arabia. [NYT]
Mar. 28: Middle East Economic Digest reported
that a government official accused South Yemen
of committing acts of sabotage in the border re-
gion. [MEED]
343
in an assassination attempt in Beirut. [JP]
in Beirut because of the attempt on al-Shami's
life. [JP]
Oil
Feb. 17: The Shah of Iran concluded talks with
French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing in
Switzerland and said oil producing countries
might find it possible to lower the price of oil
if prices of food and industrial goods are brought
down in the oil consuming states. [NYT]
Mar. 1: Abu Dhabi announceda reductionof crude
oil prices by up to $.55 per barrel on quality
premiums. [NYT]
Mar. 2: A ministerial level conference of OPEC
opened in Algiers. Algerian Foreign Minister
Abdul Aziz Bouteflika called for unified action
to counter the "Westerncrusade"against OPEC.
[NYT]
of state opened in Algeria. Algeria's President
Houari Boumedienne said OPEC should agree
to lower oil prices if the developednations would
establish a "new economic order" to help the
developing world. [NYT]
Mar. 5: Kuwayt announced the nationalizationof
the 40% of the Kuwayt Oil Companyremaining
in foreign hands. [NYT]
Mar. 6: The first conference of OPEC heads of
state ended in Algiers. The conference issued a
call for talks with industrial states on the "sta-
negotiations also included raw materials and
monetary relations. [NYT]
Apr. 10: The Trans Arabian Pipeline Company
announced that it was closing down because of
losses of $100 million annually resulting from
competitionfrom supertankersand price disputes
with Lebanon. [NYT]
Apr. 11: The Shah of Iran said the failure of the
Paris talks would lead to higher oil prices be-
cause the West would "keep up the rate of in-
flation" and "we are going to defend ourselves
by increasing the price of our oil." [MEES]
Yamani said after talks with Kissinger that there
would be a confrontationbetween oil producers
and consumers if the dialogue which broke down
in Paris was not resumedbut he added that there
was a "good chance" that the talks would be
resumed. [NYT]