Chronology February 1, 1981-April 30, 1981

Reviewed work(s):
Source: Middle East Journal, Vol. 35, No. 3 (Summer, 1981), pp. 364-378
Published by: Middle East Institute
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4326251 .
Accessed: 21/02/2012 04:35

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .
http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of
content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms
of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

Middle East Institute is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Middle East
Journal.

http://www.jstor.org
 CHRONOLOGY
February1, 1981-April 30, 1981
Arab-IsraelConflict
(Seealso, Israel, Lebanon)
1981
Feb. 2: US President Ronald Reagan said that he
thought there should be "some kind of American
presence" in the Middle East so that the Soviet Union
would know "that if they made a reckless move, they
would be risking a confrontation with the United
States." [NYT}
Feb. 4. Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) official
Faruiq QaddQmi said that the US should censure
Israel for conducting a "state terrorism unique in the
history of mankind." [NYT]
Feb. 9: Israel Interior Minister Yosef Burg warned that
Egyptian unwillingness to reopen negotiations on
Palestinian autonomy was a breach of the Camp
David accords and might release the Israelis from
fulfilling some of their commitments under the ac-
cords. [NYTI
Feb. 10: Egyptian President Anwar al-Sadat spoke be-
fore the European Parliament in Luxembourg and
urged Europe to pursue its own peace initiative to
help persuade "both Israel and the Palestinians to
accept a formula of simultaneous and mutual recogni-
tion." [NYTI
UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim acknowl-
edged that the UN had wrongly accused Israel of
blowing up the bodies of 5 Palestinians who had been
killed by Israeli soldiers in Lebanon the previous
December. [NYTI
Feb. 11: The UN Human Rights Commission voted by
31 to 3 with 8 abstentions for a resolution which
condemned Israel's policies concerning the occupied
territories, including "warcrimes that are an affront to
humanity." [NYT}
Feb. 15: Egyptian President Sadat called on leaders of
the occupied West Bank and Gaza to cooperate with
the PLO to form a government in exile, saying he
List of Abbreviations
AN, Arab News; FBIS, Foreign BroadcastInformationServiceDaily Report-Middle East and North Africa; JP, The
JerusalemPost, MEED, Middle East EconomicDigest; MEES, Middle East EconomicSurvey;NYT, The New YorkTimes;
TDN, Turkish Daily News, LWP, The Washington Post.
364
expected the move to pave the way for mutual
recognition between the PLO and Israel. UP]
Feb. 16: Two rockets hit the South Yemeni Embassy in
Paris, causing damage but no injuries. A group saying
it was avenging the bombing of a Paris synagogue the
year before claimed responsibility. [NYT)
Israel called Sadat's proposal for a government in
exile "an absolute complete contradiction to the spirit
of the Camp David accords." UP)
The Supreme Court of Israel blocked a bid by the
government to take over an Arab run electric compa-
ny's franchise on the West Bank, but it approved the
takeover with respect to East Jerusalem. [NYT}
Feb. 20. Israel Foreign Minister Yitzhak Shamir met
with US Secretary of State Alexander Haig, Jr., in
Washington. Haig said later that there were "differ-
ences" between the US and Israel with respect to US
military aid to Saudi Arabia. [NYT}
Feb. 23: Israel Foreign Minister Shamir said Israel
considered that reviving negotiations with Egypt on
Palestinian autonomy was "the most important and
most urgent issue." [NYT)
Feb. 25. A spokesman for the World Zionist Organiza-
tion said that the Jewish population of the occupied
West Bank would be expanded by more than 40%
before the upcoming June elections in Israel. The
settlers were to be housed in 6 new outposts. [NYT}
Feb. 28: The US and Egypt began talks in Egypt on the
creation of an international force to patrol a buffer
strip in the Sinai peninusla following Israeli withdraw-
al from the Sinai. [NYT)
March 6: The US announced it would sell military
equipment to Saudi Arabia which would improve the
range and fire power of F-15 jet fighters in order to
halt a "serious deterioration" in US security interests
in the Middle East. [NYT)
March 11: The Israel Knesset rejected a bill calling for
annexation of the occupied Golan Heights. [NYT)
March 13: The Mayor of the West Bank town of Anabta
accused the Israeli occupation authorities of stealing
Arab land to build a new Jewish settlement. [NYT)
March 14. An Israel bus was attacked in Jerusalem by
unknown assailants. One person was injured. UP]
 CHRONOLOGY
March 15. A group of Israelis associated with the Peace
Now movement announced the formation of a politi-
cal party to press for the creation of an "interim
trusteeship" for the West Bank. [NYT)
March 16: Shamir said that the friendship between
Israel and the US had been "marred"by a decision to
supply Saudi Arabia with F-1 5 auxiliary equipment.
[NYT}
An Israel soldier was sentenced to 2?/2months in
prison for stealing a purse and money from an Arab in
the West Bank. A second soldier received a 3 month
suspended sentence for assaulting an Arab. [NYT)
March 20: TheJerusalemPost reported that Israel Labor
Party leader Shimon Peres had met with Moroccan
King Hassan II earlier in the week. UP]
Israel Labor Party leader Peres confirmed reports
that he had met with Arab leaders during the week.
He declined to name the leaders. [NYT)
March 25: The New York Times reported that Syrian
President Hafiz al-Asad had declared he would allow
Palestinian guerrillas to operate against Israel from
Syrian territory. [NYT)
March 26: The Israel military commander in the West
Bank said that municipal elections in the West Bank
had been indefinitely postponed because such elec-
tions would "bury the Camp David peace process."
[NYT}
March 28: The US and Egypt held discussions in Cairo
on the formation of a multinational peacekeeping
force that would patrol Sinai following Israeli with-
drawal. [NYT)
March 29: Egypt and the US continued talks in Cairo
and agreed that efforts to get the UN to form a
multinational peacekeeping force should continue.
[NYTL
The Israel Cabinet approved a plan for a hydroelec-
tric canal between the Dead Sea and the Mediterra-
nean which would cross the occupied Gaza Strip.
[NYT)
A bomb exploded on a bus in Tel Aviv. UP)
March 30: Thousands of Israel Arabs demonstrated
against land policies of the government of Israel.
[NYT)
The PLO accused the US of carrying out an "ag-
gressive policy toward the Palestinians" and said it
had encouraged Israel to carry out raids against its
forces in Lebanon. [NYT)
Rockets fired from Jordan struck near the Kibbutz
Maoz Haim. UP]
April 4. US Secretary of State Haig arrived in Cairo and
met with Egyptian Foreign Minister KamailHasan 'Ali
on matters relating to peace efforts in the Middle
East. [NYT)
April 5: Haig met with Sadat near Cairo and later
described the talks as "extremely fruitful." It was
reported that the question of US participation in a
Sinai peacekeeping force had been discussed. [NYT)
Haig flew to Israel and met with Israel Premier
Menahem Begin about a proposed arms sale to Saudi
Arabia and other matters. UP)
Haig said in Israel that a "strong Israel" could play a
365
"central role against the threat of the Soviet Union
and against its many surrogates." UP]
April 6: Haig arrived in Amman and met with Jordanian
King Husayn. [NYT]
April 7: Jordan said King Husayn had told Haig that
Israel intransigence towards the Palestinians had
"opened the door to turbulence, instability and other
problems" in the Middle East. [NYTI
Haig flew to Riyadh and met with Crown Prince
Fahd on matters including a projected sale of US
Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS)
planes to Saudi Arabia. {NYTI
April 8: Haig ended a visit to Saudi Arabia. [NYT}
Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Sa'ud al-Faysalsaid
that "the main cause of instability" in the Middle East
was Israel. [NYT]
April 10. Haig met with British Foreign Secretary Lord
Carrington in London. The New York Times reported
that the 2 men had disagreed on the "priorities" that
should be given to peace efforts in the Middle East.
[NYT]
April 11: The Palestine National Council opened a
session in Damascus. [FBIS]
April 14: Rockets fired from Jordan fell near Kibbutz
Ashdot Yaacov. No casualties were reported. UP]
April 16: Israel said it had outlawed an organization of
Israel Arab leaders called the "national coordinating
committee" because of its professed support for the
PLO. [NYT]
Dutch Foreign Minister Christoph van der Klaauw
arrived in Beirut and met with Lebanese President
Ilyas Sarkis on the "European initiative" for a com-
prehensive Middle East settlement. [NYT}
April 17: Dutch Foreign Minister van der Klaauw
arrived in Damascus to discuss Syrian views on the
European initiative. [NYTI
April 19: The Palestinian National Council ended a 9
day session in Damascus. [NYT]
April 21: The US White House announced it had "made
a commitment to Saudi Arabia"to move forward with
an arms package that included 5 AWACS aircraft and
fuel tanks for F-15 fighters. [NYT]
April 22: Israel expressed its "profound regret and
unreserved opposition" to the proposed US sale of
AWACS aircraft to Saudi Arabia. [NYT]
A US State Department spokesman said that the
US remained "firmly committed to the security and
well being of Israel" and that it did not believe the
proposed arms sale to Saudi Arabia would endanger
Israel's security. [NYT}
April 23: The Jerusalem Committee, founded by Islam-
ic nations, began its fifth round of meetings in Fez,
Morocco. [FBIS]
April 25. Israel border policemen opened fire during an
Arab demonstration in the West Bank town of Ra-
mallah, injuring 2 people. UP]
April 29. West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt
said in Riyadh that the PLO would participate in a
meeting between the European Economic Communi-
ty and Arab Foreign Ministers scheduled to take place
in the fall. [NYT]
366 THE MIDDLE EAST JOURNAL
Inter-ArabAffairs
(Seealso, General, Petroleum Affairs)
1981
Feb. 4: The Foreign Ministers of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain
and Kuwait, and the Ministers of State for Foreign
Affairs of the UAE and Oman met in Riyadh and
decided to set up a cooperation council of Arab Gulf
states. [FBIS]
Feb.23: A conference of Arab Justice Ministers opened
in Sanaa, Yemen. [FBISJ
March 23: A session of the Arab League Council
opened in Tunis. [FBIS)
General
1981
Feb. 9: A conference of nonaligned nations opened in
New Delhi. [FBIS)
Feb. 10: UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim arrived
in New Delhi to take part in a session of the
conference of nonaligned nations. [FBISJ
Feb. 13: The conference of nonaligned nations ended in
New Delhi. [FBIS}
March 19: US Secretary of State Alexander Haig, Jr.,
said the US would attempt to build a "consensus of
strategic concerns" to counter the Soviet Union in an
area stretching from Pakistan to Egypt. [NYT}
April 24: US Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger
announced plans to establish a combat command to
assume operational control over all US military forces
that might be ordered to defend national interests
around the Persian Gulf. [NYTI
PetroleumAffairs
1981
Feb. 1: The UAE announced a $3 per barrel increase in
the price of its high quality crude oil. [NYT}
March 17. The Oil Ministers of the UAE, Saudi Arabia,
Kuwait and Qatar met in Riyadh to discuss a number
of oil matters. [FBIS}
April 16: Egypt reduced prices on various grades of its
oil. [NYT)
April 19: Saudi Arabian Oil Minister Shaykh Ahmad
Zaki Yamani said Saudi Arabia would not raise its oil
price or reduce production until other nations re-
duced their prices significantly. [NYT)
Afghanistan
(Seealso, Libya, Pakistan)
1981
Feb. 11: UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim an-
nounced that he had appointed Javier Perez de Cuel-
lar as special representative to promote peace talks on
Afghanistan. [NYT]
Feb. 18: President Babrak Karmalarrived in Moscow for
talks with Soviet leaders. [FBIS)
March 6. The UN Human Rights Commission said it
was "gravely concerned at the continued foreign
armed intervention in Afghanistan." [NYTI
March 9. US President Ronald Reagan said that if
Afghan "freedom fighters" who were fighting Soviet
forces asked for weapons, it would be something "to
be considered." [NYT}
March 18: The Soviet press agency Tass said that US
President Reagan's remarks concerning weapons for
Afghan insurgents confirmed that the US and its allies
were waging an "undeclared war" in Afghanistan.
[NYXI
March 29: An insurgent spokesman said that a "military
base on the western front" near Herat had been set
up by the insurgents to fight the government. [NYT]
April 7: Saudi Arabia announced it was severing diplo-
matic relations with "the current illegal regime" in
Afghanistan. [ANI
April 26: The Soviet Union agreed to sell Afghanistan
300,000 metric tons of wheat. [NYT}
Algeria
(Seealso, Tunisia)
1981
Feb. 17: The Foreign Ministers of Algeria, Libya, Mali,
Mauritania,Niger and Chad met in Algiers to discuss
regional cooperation. [FBIS]
Feb. 18: South Yemeni Chairman of the Presidium 'Ali
Nasir Muhammad arrived in Algiers on a visit. [FBIS]
March 10.' Benin President Mathieu Kerekou met with
President Chadli Benjedid in Algiers. [FBISJ
March 29: Algerian President Benjedid arrived in An-
gola on a 2 day visit. [FBIS]
March 30: Benjedid arrived in Mozambique on an
official visit. [FBIS)
March 31: Benjedid ended a visit to Zambia. [FBIS]
Benjedid arrived in Salisbury, Zimbabwe, on an
official visit. [FBIS}
April 8: In a joint communique issued in Dar es Salaam,
Tanzania and Algeria pledged continued support for
liberation movements in South Africa, Namibia and
Western Sahara. [FBISJ
 CHRONOLOGY
April 12: Benjedid ended a visit to Niger. [FBIS)
April 16: The Nonaligned Coordinating Bureau opened
a session in Algiers on the question of Namibia.
[FBIS]
April 18: Libyan Head of State Mu'ammar al-Qadhdhalt
arrived in Algeria and met with Benjedid. [FBIS]
April 19: The Nonaligned Coordination Bureau called
on the UN Security Council to impose mandatory
sanctions on South Africa in order to force it to leave
Namibia. [NYT}
April 24: It was reported that Moroccan forces had
clashed with Algerian troops after entering Algeria in
pursuit of Polisario guerrillas. [FBIS}
April 25: Morocco denied reports that their troops had
clashed with Algerian forces in Algeria. [FBIS]
April 27. Benjedid attended military maneuvers in
southwest Algeria near the Moroccan border. [FBISI
Bahrain
(Seealso, Inter-Arab Affairs)
1981
March 18: Syrian Foreign Minister 'Abd al-Halim Khad-
dam arrived in Manama and met with Amir Shaykh
'Isa bin Salman Al Khalifah. [FBIS}
April 1: British Secretary of State for Defense John
Nott met with Amir Shaykh 'isa in Bahrain. [FBISJ
April 27: Amir Shaykh 'Isa arrived in New Dehli for
talks with Indian leaders. [FBIS]
April 28: Amir Shaykh 'Isi met with Indian Premier
Indira Gandhi in New Delhi. [FBIS)
Egypt
(Seealso, Arab-Israel Conflict, Petroleum Affairs, Iran-
Iraq Conflict, Libya, Sudan)
1981
Feb.9: President Anwar al-Sidit arrived in Luxembourg
to meet with officials of Luxembourg and the Europe-
an Parliament. [FBISJ
Feb. 11: Sidit arrived in Paris and was met by French
President Valery Giscard d'Estaing at the airport.
[NYTI
Feb. 12: An agreement on nuclear cooperation for
peaceful purposes was signed in Paris by France and
Egypt. [FBIS)
Feb. 14: Austrian Chancellor Bruno Kreisky arrived in
Cairo on a 4 day visit. [FBIS]
Feb. 17: Arab News reported that the Egyptian parlia-
ment had ratified the Nuclear Nonproliferation Trea-
ty. [AN)
367
Feb. 18: Former Premier Ibrahim 'Abd al-Hadi, who had
served as Premier under King Faruq, died, aged 82.
[NYTI
Feb. 24: Omani Minister of State for Foreign Affairs
Qays al-Zawiwi arrived in Cairo and met with Sadat.
[FBIS)
March 2: Defense Minister Ahmad Badawi and 13
senior army officers were killed in a helicopter crash
near the Libyan border. [NYT)
March 4: 'Abd Al-Halim Abui Ghazailahwas appointed
Minister of Defense and Military Production. [NYT}
March 9: France and Egypt initialed an agreement under
which France would supply 2 nuclear power plants to
Egypt. [NYTI
March 10: Former Israeli Foreign Minister Moshe Da-
yan met with Sadat near Cairo. [NYT]
March 20: British Prince Philip arrived in Cairo on a
visit. [FBIS}
March 21: The US and Egypt initialed an agreement on
nuclear energy. [NYT}
April 16: Greek Foreign Minister Konstandinos Mitso-
takis arrived in Cairo on a 5 day visit to Egypt. [FBIS}
April 25: Netherlands Foreign Minister Christoph van
der Klaauw met with Sadat in Egypt. [FBIS)
A tanker carrying explosives was engulfed in flames
in Alexandria harbor. A state of emergency was
declared. [NYTI
April 29: Defense Minister Abu Ghazailahmet with US
officials in Washington. [FBIS}
Iran
(Seealso, Iran-Iraq Conflict, Jordan, Turkey)
1981
Feb.2: Pakistani Foreign Minister Agha Shahi arrived in
Tehran for talks with Iranian leaders. [FBIS}
The New York Times reported that President
Abulhasan Bani Sadr had said there should have been
a debate on the freeing of the former US hostages the
month before to determine whether it was "a great
service or high treason." [NYT)
Feb.4: Ayatollah Rfih Allah Khumayni urged quarreling
politicians to stop "biting one another like scorpions."
[NYT}
The US State Department said that Iran had re-
leased from prison a US citizen who had been held
since the previous September. [NYT}
Feb. 5: Twenty-three Majlis members asked the Majlis
to open a debate on the "doubts and questions" that
had arisen with respect to the agreements with the US
that had led to the release of 52 US hostages the
month before. [NYT}
Feb. 6: Supporters of the government attacked about
5,000 demonstrators from 2 Marxist-Leninist groups
who were holding a rally in Tehran. At least 39
people were reported to have been injured. [NYT)
368 THE MIDDLE EAST JOURNAL
Feb. 8: The US was notified that a revolutionary court
had found a US citizen, Mrs. Cynthia Dwyer, guilty of
"espionage and activities against the Islamic Republic
of Iran" and ordered her to leave Iran immediately.
[NYT]
Feb. 9. A bureaucratic snag delayed the deportation of
Mrs. Dwyer. [NYT]
Feb. 10: Dwyer flew out of Tehran on her way back to
the US. [NYT]
Feb. 11: Ayatollah Khumayni issued a "serious warning"
to those "clergymen"who were serving in the govern-
ment that they "should by no means interfere in areas
outside their competence." [NYT)
President Bani Sadr said that the economy was in
"terrible" straits, with dwindling foreign currency
reserves and growing unemployment. [NYT}
Feb. 12: Supreme Court Chief Justice Ayatollah Mu-
hammad Bahashti said that 4 Britons who had been
arrested the past August had been cleared of suspi-
cion of espionage and would be released upon settle-
ment of a minor problem. [NYT]
Feb. 14: Fundamentalist counter demonstrators attacked
a rally on the Caspian Sea coast and held a Majlis
member who had been addressing the rally hostage
for 2 hours. [NYT)
Feb. 16: A group of 38 intellectuals circulated a letter
charging that the government was filling prisons with
"militants and libertarians" and employing torture in
the prisons. [NYT}
It was reported that Kurdish insurgents had with-
drawn from Mahabad after more than 2 weeks of
artillery bombardment of the City by government
forces. [NYT}
Feb. 17: Ahmad Khumayni, son of Ayatollah Khumayni,
called for an immediate end to political violence
because "tomorrow will be too late." [NYT]
Feb. 18: Forty Majlis members, including former Pre-
mier Mihdi Bazargan, warned in a letter that a failure
to halt street violence by fundamentalist counter
demonstrators might strengthen a suspicion that ex-
tremists had "infiltrated the organs of the republic."
[NYTI
The US State Department issued a statement say-
ing that the administration of President Ronald Rea-
gan had decided to "approve implementation" of the
agreements with Iran concerning the release of the
hostages "in strict accordance" with their terms.
[NYT]
Feb. 19: Supreme Court Chief Justice Ayatollah Ba-
hashti said that 4 Britons who had been detained
since the previous August had been arrested on the
basis of documents that had been proven to have
been forged. [NYT]
Feb. 22: It was reported that 3 British Anglicans who
had been held since the previous August had been
released from detention. A British businessman re-
mained in detention. [NYT3
Feb. 23. It was announced that the Anglican Church
would no longer be allowed to function in Iran.
[NYT]
Feb. 26: A group of 133 intellectuals accused govern-
ment officials of the "torture" of political prisoners
and of making "consistent and increasing attacks upon
democratic rights and liberties." [NYT}
Former Premier Baizargin said that the Islamic
Republican Party was trying to silence the opposition
Freedom Movement in the Majlis. INYTI
Feb.27: The 3 British Anglicans left Tehran and flew to
Athens. [NYTI
March 6: Clashes erupted between supporters of Bani
Sadr and his opponents in Tehran. About 45 people
were injured. [NYTI
March 8: Ayatollah $idiq Khalkhali said that Bani Sadr
had "committed treason against constitutional law and
therefore must be tried." [NYT)
The government banned all demonstrations.
[NYT]
March 11: The Majlis approved a bill giving Premier
Muhammad 'Ali Raja'i the power to appoint acting
ministers to the Cabinet. [NYT]
The Majlis approved the following Cabinet ap-
pointments:
Husayn Namazi: Economy
Husayn Kazimpur Ardabili: Trade [FBIS]
March 12. Police clashed with gunmen outside the
Soviet Embassy in Tehran. Two policemen were
killed. [NYTI
March 16: Ayatollah KhumaynIset up a 3 man reconcili-
ation committee including "a representative of the
President, one from the other side and one from my
own office" in order to "study complaints, problems
relating to the war and other disputed issues." [NYTI
Ayatollah Khumayni said that it would "be better"
if politicians gave "no more speeches until the end of
the war" with Iraq. [NYT)
March 17: Former Deputy Premier 'Abbas Amir Inti-
zam went on trial on charges that included.collabora-
tion with the CIA. [NYT}
March28: Ayatollah Rabbani Shirazi was wounded by 2
gunmen in Shiraz. [NYT)
April 1: Ayatollah Khumayni said that judicial authori-
ties should "set up delegations to study the country's
courts and dismiss unsuitable judges" and called for
the prosecution of all revolutionary guards who were
"interfering in matters that are up to the courts or
other institutions." [NYT)
April 6: The US asked the International Court ofJustice
to dismiss a US suit against Iran for damages resulting
from the holding of American hostages by Iran in
1979. [NYT)
April 7: The opposition newspaper Mizan was ordered
by the government to cease publication. [NYTI
April 8: The government issued a directive offering
legal recognition to ethnic groups "that have declared
armed struggle" against the government "provided
that they renounce their stand" and "hand over their
arms to security officials." [NYT]
April 9. The Information Ministry ordered printing
companies not to print newspapers that lack a valid
government license. The order came a day after the
Interior Ministry had told political parties they must
have government permission before issuing publica-
tions. [NYT]
April 17. The Marxist Fedayeen held a rally near Tehran
 CHRONOLOGY 369
commemorating the death of 9 people who had been said a "very short stage of cease-fire" might be
executed during the rule of the former Shah. The required followed "immediately" by an Iraqi with-
rally defied a ban on political meetings. [NYT} drawal from Iranian territory. [NYT)
April 19. A government spokesman acknowledged that March 3: Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) lead-
Iranhad lost $56m in a scandalinvolvingfunds that er Yasir 'Arafat, a member of the Islamic Conference
were to purchase arms in Europe. [NYTI delegation, flew to Tehran to make arrangements for
April 26. The newspaper Mizan reappeared on the further talks with Iran by the delegation. [NYT]
newsstands. [NYT) March 4. The Islamic Conference delegation presented
April 27: The New York Times reported that Iran had a ceasefire proposal to Ayatollah Khumayni in Iran
notifiedthe US it waspreparedto beginnegotiations and to President Husayn in Iraq. [NYT}
with US companiesand citizens seeking claims for March 5. The Islamic Conference delegation said that it
damagesor brokencontracts.[NYTI had called on Iran and Iraq to begin a ceasefire by
March 13 to be followed by a withdrawal of Iraqi
troops from captured Iranian territory. [NYT]
March 6: Iran said its Supreme Defense Council had
Iran-IraqConflict unanimously rejected proposals for a ceasefire and
negotiated settlement. [NYT}
Iranian Ayatollah Muhammad 'All Khamana'i said
(Seealso, Iran, Iraq) that Iran was prepared to fight "until victory is
achieved." [NYT)
March 7: Tehran radio said that Iraqi planes had struck
1981 the town of Ilam and attacked Khurramshahr.[NYT}
The Iranian press agency Pars said that Iraqi mis-
Feb.2. Iransaid it had mountedmajorcounterattacks siles had hit Susangird, causing many casualties.
againstIraqitroopsand Kurdishinsurgentsin Kurdi- [NYT)
stan Province and in Azerbaijan. [NYTI The New York Times cited Iraqi First Deputy Pre-
Feb. 10.' Arab diplomats said that Iraqi forces had begun mier Taha Yisin Ramadan as saying Iraq would not
an offensive against Iranian troops in Ilam Province withdraw "from a single inch of Iranian territory
after a visit to the battlefront by Iraqi President before Tehran recognizes Iraqi rights." [NYT)
5addamHusayn.[NYTI March 9. Clashes took place in Khuzistan. [NYTI
Feb. 17. UN special envoy Olof Palme arrived in Pars said that Iraqi missiles had struck Ahwaz
Baghdad for talks with Iraqi leaders on the "funda- during the day. [NYTI
mentalissues of the conflict"between Iraqand Iran. March 11: Iraqi Foreign Minister Sa'dun Hammadi said
[NYTI in London that all mediation efforts had come to
Feb. 18: UN special envoy Palme arrived in Tehran naught. [NYT}
from Baghdad.[NYT} March 12: The Islamic Conference said its peace mis-
Feb. 19. Palme met with Iranian President Abulhasan sion had failed. [NYT}
Bani $adr on the "principles on which agreement March 14: Husayn said that Iraq was ready "to extend all
could be reached" to end the hostilities. [NYTJ types of aid including guns" to minorities in Iran so
Artillery exchanges took place at Abadan and that they could "achieve their national rights" and
Khurramshahr. [NYTJ establish neighborly relations with Iraq. [NYT)
Feb.21. PalmesaidthatIranwasfirmin its positionthat March 18: Fighting took place around Susangird and in
there could be "no cease-firebefore Iraqitroopsare the Gilan-Gharb Heights. [NYT}
withdrawn."[NYTI March 19. Heavy fighting continued in the Gilan area
Feb.23.' Palme said he had found on his most recent and around Susangird. [NYT}
peace missionthat the time was "not yet ripe"for a March 21: Tehran radio said that Iraqi missiles had
negotiatedsettlementof the war. [NYT} struck Ahwaz and Dizful. [NYT)
Feb. 26. Iraq said its forces in Iran had completed March 23: Iranian Speaker of the Majlis Hujjat al-Islam
preparation for a new offensive and were "not pre- Hashimi Rafsanjani said that the "removal of Sad-
pared to occupy new Iranian areas and towns." dam's regime" was "our strategic goal on which we
[NYT] will not compromise." [NYT)
Feb.28. A peace delegationsent by the IslamicConfer- March 24: Pars said that Iranian Revolutionary Guards
ence arrivedin Tehranandwaswelcomedby Iranian had struck across the Iraqi border near Panjvin and
President Ban! 5adr and Premier Muhammad'All captured an outpost more than a mile inside Iraq.
Raja'l.The delegation included the Presidents of [NYT)
Pakistan,Bangladesh,Gambiaand Guinea.[NYT] March29: Husayn pledged "full support for all national-
March1: The IslamicConferencedelegationmet with ities and national movements in Iran"in any efforts to
AyatollahRuihAllih Khumayni.AyatollahKhumayni overthrow the Iranian government. [NYT)
saidthe delegationmust"sitin judgment"of Iraqand PLO leader 'Arafat arrived in Tehran on a peace
Iranand"fight"whomeverhad"launchedthe aggres- mission as representative of the Islamic Conference.
sion."[NYT) [NYT)
March2. IranianmilitarycommanderVal!AllahFallihi March 30: The Islamic Conference delegation arrived in
370 THE MIDDLE EAST JOURNAL
Tehran on a peace mission and met with the Supreme
Defense Council. [NYT)
March 31: The Islamic Conference delegation met with
Iraqi leaders in Bagdad. [NYT]
Egyptian President Anwar al-Sadat said that Egypt
was selling ammunition to Iraq "out of gratitude for
the help" Iraq had once given Egypt but said Egypt's
position in the war was that it was "wrong that an
Islamic country invades or attacks another." [NYT]
April 3: Islamic Conference Secretary General Habib
Chatti arrived in Tehran for talks with Iranian Lead-
ers. [NYT}
April 4: Iranian jets struck at airbases deep in Iraq. An
Iraqi military communique said that Iranian bombers
had attacked an Iraqi airbase near the border with
Syria but charged that the jets had come from Syrian
territory. [NYT)
The Islamic Republican Party of Iran called for the
overthrow of Husayn. [NYT)
April 5: Iran said that its aircraft had destroyed Soviet
built TU-22 bombers in air strikes in Iraq the day
before. [NYT]
April 6: Bani $adr characterized the Islamic Conference
peace proposal as vague. [NYTI
April 8: A peace mission made up of representatives of
3 nonaligned nations arrived in Baghdad to attempt to
arrange a ceasefire. [NYTI
April 15: Iran and Iraq reported that fighting had
intensified in Khuzistan Province. [NYT}
Iraq
(Seealso, Iran, Iran-Iraq Conflict, Jordan, Kuwait,
Lebanon, Morocco)
1981
Feb. 1: France confirmed reports that it had turned over
5 F-1 Mirage fighter bombers to Iraq. [NYT)
Feb. 23.: Dutch Foreign Minister and President of the
European Economic Community Council of Minis-
ters Christoph van der Klaauw arrived in Baghdad for
talks with Iraqi leaders. [FBIS]
March 3. Jordanian King Husyan arrived in Baghdad
and met with President $addam Husayn. [FBIS}
March 4. It was reported that Italy had authorized the
export to Iraq of 11 naval vessels and a floating dock.
[NYT)
March 15: Yemeni President 'All 'Abdallah Salih ar-
rived in Baghdad and met with President Husayn.
[FBIS}
March 16: First Deputy Premier Taha Yisin Ramadan
left Iraq at the start of visits to East Germany and
Hungary. [FBIS]
March 17: Deputy Premier Tariq 'Aziz left Baghdad for
Paris where he was to have talks on bilateral relations
with French leaders. [FBIS}
March21: Husayn spoke before the public in the Zakho
District in the north. [FBIS]
April 2: The New YorkTimes reported that the US State
Department had announced it had lifted a freeze on a
sale to Iraq by Boeing Aircraft of 5 passenger planes.
[NYI'
April 12: US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Morris
Draper met with Foreign Minister Sa'duinHammidi
in Baghdad on bilateral relations and other matters.
[NYT)
April 21: Kuwait granted an interest-free loan of $2
billion to Iraq to help finance reconstruction of areas
destroyed in the war with Iran. [NYT)
April 23. Vice President Taha Muhyi al-Din Ma'irf met
with Senegalese Premier Habib Thiam in Dakar.
[FBIS)
Israel
(Seealso, Arab-Israeli Conflict, Egypt, Lebanon)
1981
Feb. 3: US defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger said
that if Israel asked the US to station its forces in
Israeli territory the US would examine the request
"very sympathetically and very carefully." [NYT)
Feb. 5: Israel said it would not ask for the stationing of
US troops on its soil. [NYT)
Feb. 18: Teachers staged a 1 day strike to press for a
wage increase promised by the government. [NYT)
The leadership of the Democratic Movement for
Change decided to disband the party rather than run
in upcoming elections in June. [NYT}
Feb. 24: Foreign Minister Yitzhak Shamir met with US
President Ronald Reagan in Washington. UP]
The New York Times reported that the Knesset had
passed a law making it a crime to copy, publish or
read the private correspondence of anyone without
his or her permission. [NYT)
March 3. About 100 Arab students from Israel universi-
ties demonstrated outside the Knesset to protest
provocations by Jewish students. [NYT)
March 7: Police units broke into a Yeshiva in Jerusalem
following stone throwing demonstrations by Ortho-
dox Jews along the Ramat road. At least 9 people
were arrested. UPI
March 8: An Israel bulk carrier ship sank southeast of
Bermuda. [NYT)
March 14: Orthodox Jews protesting the use of cars on
the Sabbath clashed with police in Jerusalem. [NYT]
March 23: Teachers went on a 1 day strike to protest a
government delay in implementing a promised pay
increase. [NYT)
April 4: Former Foreign Minister Moshe Dayan an-
nounced he would head a new party, the Movement
for National Renewal, in the upcoming elections.
[NYT)
April 7. Histadrut members went to the polls to elect
the labor federation's convention. UP)
 CHRONOLOGY
April 8: The Labor Alignment polled an estimated 63%
in the Histadrut elections. The Likud won about 26%
of the vote. UP]
April 15: Knesset Member Shmuel Flatto Sharon was
found guilty of 2 counts of election bribery. UP]
Jordan
(Seealso, Arab-Israel Conflict, Iraq, Lebanon)
1981
Feb. 18: Jordan severed diplomatic relations with Iran.
[FBIS}
Feb. 19: Iraqi Revolution Command Council Vice
Chairman 'Izza IbrThim arrived in Amman and met
with King llusayn. [FBIS)
Feb. 25: Amman television reported that Jordanian
forces had arrested a number of plotters alleged to
have been sent by Syria to assassinate Premier Mudar
Badran. Some of the plotters were said to have been
arrested on January 31. [FBIS}
Dutch Foreign Minister and President of the Euro-
pean Economic Community Council of Ministers
Christoph van der Klaauw arrived in Amman on a 3
day visit. tFBIS]
April 7: King H{usaynleft Amman for a private visit to
the UK. [FBIS}
April 8: King Husayn met with British Premier Marga-
ret Thatcher. [NYT}
Kuwait
(Seealso, Inter-Arab Affairs, Iraq, South Yemen)
1981
Feb. 9: Iraqi Interior Minister Sa'dun Shakir arrived in
Kuwait for talks on border matters. [FBIS]
Feb. 10: UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim met
with Amir Shaykh Jabir al-Ahmad Al $abah in Ku-
wait. [FBIS]
Feb. 23. Voters went to the polls to elect a National
Assembly. [NYT}
Feb. 24. The government submitted its resignation to
Amir Shaykh Jabir and was asked to act as caretaker
government until a new Cabinet could be formed.
[FBIS}
Feb. 28: Amir Shaykh Jabir issued a decree appointing
Heir Apparent Shaykh Sa'd al-'Abdallah al-Salim Al
$abah Premier. [FBIS]
March 4: Amir Shaykh Jabir issued a decree announcing
a new cabinet:
Sa'd al-'Abdallah al-Salim Al $abah: Premier
$abaihal-Ahmad al-Jabir Al $abah.:Deputy Premier,
Foreignand Acting Information
'Isa Muhammad IbrThimal-Mazidi: Communications
Ya'qub Yuisuf al-Ghunaym: Education
'Abdallah al-Dukhayl al-Rushayd: Public Works
'Abd al-Latif Yusuf al-Hamad: Finance and Plan-
ning
371
Ahmad Sa'd al-Jasir:Awqaf and Islamic Affairs
Naw5fal-Ahmadal-JabirAl $abah.:Interior
Salimal-,abahal-SalimAl $abah:Defense
'All al-Khallfahal-'Adhb!Al $abah:Petroleum
'Abdal-Rahman'Abdallihal-'Awddl:PublicHealth
'Abd al-'Azlz Husayn: State for Cabinet Affairs
Salmin al-Du'ayjal-Salmin:Justice and Legal &
AdministrativeAffairs
Hamad'Isi al-Rujayb:Social Affairs & Labor and
Housing
KhalafAhmadal-Khalaf:Electricity& Water
Jisim Khilid al-Marztiq:Commerce & Industry
[FBIS}
March9: The NationalAsemblyopenedits firstsession.
[FBISJ
March17: SyrianForeignMinister'Abdal-HalimKhad-
damarrivedin Kuwaitfrom Riyadh.[FBIS]
April 14: KuwaitiDeputy Premier ShaykhSabiahal-
AhmadAl $abih returnedto Kuwaitat the end of
visits to South Yemen and Oman. [FBIS}
April23: DeputyPremierShaykh$abih left Kuwaitfor
Moscowfor talkson bilateralrelations.[FBIS)
April25:The SovietpressagencyTassreportedthatthe
SovietUnion andKuwaithadissueda jointstatement
expressingoppositionto the establishmentof foreign
militarybases and the deploymentof nuclearweap-
ons in the Gulf area.[NYT}
Lebanon
(Seealso,Arab-IsraeliConflict,Syria)
1981
Feb.4: Palestinianguerrillasfired on 2 Israelgunboats
patrollingnearBeirut. [NYT}
Feb.6: GunmenkidnappedJordanianCharged'Affaires
Hishim Muhaysanand 1 otherpersonin Beirut.The
kidnappingleft 2 people dead. [NYT}
The "Eaglesof the Revolution"saidthatJordanian
Charged'AffairesMuhaysanwas being held in rela-
tion to a demand that Jordan return 2 SyrianAir
Force pilots who had defected to Jordan the year
before. [NYT]
Feb.9: JordanianPremierMudarBadrin chargedthat
Syriawasresponsiblefor the abductionof Muhaysan.
[NYT}
Feb.13: Israeljets clashedwith Syrianaircraftduringa
"routineflight over Lebanon."A Syrianplane was
shot down in the encounter.[NYT]
Feb.14: LebanesePremierShafiqal-Wazzincalled for
Israelto be put on trialin "international
forumsand
spheres"becauseof its "nonstopaggression"against
Lebanon.[NYT]
Feb. 19: Gunmen fired on the car of Greek Catholic
PatriarchMaximos Hakim in Beirut. He was not
injured.[NYT)
Feb.27: Gunmenin Beirutassassinated2 officialsof the
IraqiEmbassyin Lebanon.[NYT]
372 THE MIDDLE EAST JOURNAL
March 2: Israel planes raided targets northeast of Tyre.
Later, rockets from Lebanese territory struck the
Israel town of Qiryat Shemona. [NYT]
March 5: A US State Department spokesman said it had
been confirmed that the leader of an independent
army in south Lebanon, Sa'd Haddad, had been
threatening to shell Sidon unless the Lebanese gov-
ernment agreed to pay him $5m. [NYT}
March 7: Two Palestinians who had attempted to cross
into Israel from Lebanon during the night using
motorized hang gliders were captured, one in western
Galilee and the other in south Lebanon. UPI
March 10. Gunmen fired on the motorcade of US
Ambassador John Gunther Dean in Beirut. No one
was injured. [NYTI
March 11: President Ilyas Sarkis returned to Lebanon
from Damascus at the end of talks with Syrian
leaders. [FBIS]
March 15: Cuban Foreign Minister Isidoro Malmierca
Peoli met with Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister
Fu'ad Butrus. [FBIS]
March 16: Two Nigerian soldiers in the United Nations
Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) were killed
when Christian militiamen shelled a UNIFIL position
at Kantara in southern Lebanon. Eleven UNIFIL
soldiers were wounded. [NYT]
An Israel soldier was killed in southern Lebanon
while disarming a mine. [NYT]
March 18: Israel said it had rejected a demand from
Commander of UNIFIL William Callaghan to with-
draw from south Lebanon and stop all assistance to
the Christian militia. [NYT]
March 19: The UN Security Council agreed to issue a
statement expressing concern about the killing of the
2 UNIFIL soldiers earlier in the week. [NYT]
March 22: Gunmen fired at the US Embassy in Beirut.
No injuries or damage were reported. [NYT]
March 24: Christian militiamen accompanied by Israel
soldiers blew up a house in Al Tiri in south Lebanon,
killing 3 children and injuring 5 other people. [NYT]
March 25: The government decided to send 90Q gov-
ernment soldiers to south Lebanon to serve alongside
the UNIFIL soldiers. [NYT}
UNIFIL Commander Callaghan said that he
planned to return all of south Lebanon to Lebanese
government authority and that he was prepared to
"accept casualties" to do so. UP]
Muslim Shi'a members of the paramilitary organi-
zation Amal clashed with Shi'a members of the Ba'th
Party in Baalbek. Five people were killed. [NYT]
March 28: A ceasefire ended fighting between Muslim
and Christian factions in Beirut. [NYT]
March 31: A seaborne Israel force raided the southern
coast of Lebanon, killing 8 people. [NYT}
April 2: Artillery exchanges between Christian militia-
men and Syrian troops broke out all along the line
dividing Christian and Muslim sectors of Beirut. At
least 37 people were reported killed. [NYT]
Fighting took place between Syrian troops and
Christian militiamen in Zahle. [NYT]
A Syrian communique said that fighting at Zahle
had begun when Christian militiamen had tried to
build a road to link Zahle with other Christian
districts in Lebanon and thereby encircle Syrian
forces. [NYT}
April 3. Public Works and Transport Minister Ilyas al-
Hirawi met with Syrian President HIifiz al-Asad on
the situation at Zahle. [FBIS]
A ceasefire was reported at Zahle. [NYT]
Israel seaborne commandos landed on the Leba-
nese southern coast and ambushed a vehicle, killing 2
of its occupants. [NYT]
Sidon came under artillery fire from Christian
militia positions. [NYTI
April 4. Fighting intensified around Zahle after a cease-
fire collapsed. [NYTI
Artillery and rocket duels took place in Beirut.
[NYTI
April 5. Sporadic shooting occurred in Zahle and Bei-
rut. [NYT]
April 6. Syrian forces exchanged artillery fire with
Christian militiamen in Beirut and Zahle. Lebanese
Army regulars clashed with Syrian forces in Beirut.
[NYTI
US Secretary of State Alexander Haig, Jr., said in
Jerusalem that the US viewed "the brutality of the
Syrian action against the Christian enclave" in Zahle
as "unacceptable by any measure of appropriate inter-
national standards." [NYTJ
April 7: Syrian Foreign Minister 'Abd al-Halim Khad-
d~ammet with President Sarkis and later said that
certain steps had been decided upon but would not
yet be implemented. [NYT)
Fighting between Christian militiamen and Syrian
forces took place around Zahle and in Beirut. [NYT}
Christian militiamen shelled Syrian forces in
Shrura. [NYTI
April 8. Sarkis ordered a ceasefire in Beirut and Zahle.
Sporadic fighting continued after the call. [NYT]
US Under Secretary of State Morris Draper met
with Sarkis in Lebanon. [NYT}
UN Special Envoy Brian Urquhart met with Sarkis
in Lebanon. [NYT}
April 9: A ceasefire generally held. The International
Red Cross sent ambulances to evacuate the wounded
from Zahle. [NYT}
Israel paratroopers struck targets in southern Leba-
non late in the night. [NYTI
April 10: The New York Times reported that the Israel
paratroopers had destroyed 2 tanks in the raids in
southern Lebanon. [NYT}
Syrian artillerymen exchanged heavy fire with Leb-
anese Christian forces around Zahle. [NYTI
Sporadic shooting between Syrian forces and
Christian militiamen took place in Beirut. [NYTI
April 1: Syrian President Asad said the fighting in
Lebanon was part of an "imperialist, Zionist plot" to
fragment Lebanon and use its territory for strikes
against Syria. [NYT)
Shelling intensified around Zahle and in Beirut.
[NYT)
April 12: Syrian forces clashed with Christian militia-
men in the hills around Zahle. [NYT)
April 14: Israeli military sources said that Israel was
 CHRONOLOGY
"supplying the Christians of Lebanon with the means
and equipment to guard their lives" and admitted that
some Israeli aid went to Phalanges groups in north
Lebanon. UP)
Premier Wazzan, 4 Cabinet aides and 15 legislators
were trapped inside the Parliament building in Beirut
as artillery shells exploded near the building during
artillery duels between Syrian and Christian forces.
[NYT)
It was reported that Muhaysan had been released
and found in the town of Shtura. [NYT)
Phalanges leader Bashir Jumayil said that his side
wanted a ceasefire but wanted also "political as well as
military security." [NYT)
A gun battle took place in front of the US Embassy
in Beirut. Two Lebanese guards were wounded.
[NYT)
April 15: Wazzin met with the Cabinet and said later
the government would "intensify" its contacts with
Syria in order to resolve the conflict. [NYT)
UN Special Envoy Urquhart arrived in Damascus
and conferred with Syrian Foreign Minister Khad-
darm.[NYT)
April 16: Two Palestinian guerrillas attempting to enter
Israel territory in a balloon were shot down and killed
near the Lebanese village of Hule. [NYT)
Israel jets struck targets near the port of Tyre.
[NYTI
Israel frogmen blew up a freighter loaded with
canned food in the port of Sidon. [NYT)
April 17: Syrian forces allowed a convoy of food and
medicine to enter Zahle. [NYT)
April 19: Christian militiamen shelled Sidon, killing at
least 16 people. Wazzan called the shelling "barbar-
ic." [NYT)
Leader of the Christian militia in south Lebanon
Haddad was flown to a hospital in Haifa suffering
from "exhaustion and fatigue." UP)
Heavy exchanges of shelling between the Christian
and Muslim sectors of Beirut took place. [NYT)
April 20: Syrian troops battled Christian forces in
Beirut. [NYT)
Shelling closed the Beirut airport. [NYT)
Rockets were fired into western Galilee in Israel
from Lebanese territory. No casualties were report-
ed. [NYT)
Israel jets struck Beaufort Castle and other targets
in south Lebanon. [NYTI
April 21: Fighting continued in Beirut. Government
radio said that 4 soldiers of the Lebanese Army had
been killed in the fighting. [NYT)
Christian militiamen shelled the ports of Tyre and
Sidon. [NYT)
April22: Syrian forces battled Christian militiamen and
Shi'a Muslims fought with Ba'thists in Beirut. At least April 30. It was reported that additional surface-to-air
23 people were reported killed in the fighting.
[NYT)
April 23: Haddad met with Israel leaders in Tel Aviv.
Later Israel Premier Menahem Begin said that it had
been "agreed between us" that there would be no
more clashes with UNIFIL units in south Lebanon.
[NYT)
373
April 24: It was reported that a tentative agreement had
been reached to end fighting at Zahie. [NYT}
Intensive artillery exchanges were reported in
south Lebanon between Christian militia forces and
Palestinian guerrillas. [NYT)
April 25: Syrian forces mounted artillery and helicopter
attacks around Zahle and other areas of the Bekaa
Valley. [NYT)
April 26: Israel jets struck targets in south Lebanon,
killing 15 people. A Syrian military spokesman said
that 2 Israel jets had been shot down. Israel said all its
planes had returned to base. [NYT]
Syrian forces shelled Christian villages and military
positions in the Bekaa Valley and around Jebel
Sannin. [NYT)
Murabitun forces shelled the Christian port of
Juniye. [NYTI
April 27: Israel jets struck targets in south Lebanon.
Lebanese officials said that 50 people had been killed
or wounded. [NYT]
Syria said its forces had taken control of Mount
Sannin from Lebanese Christian Phalanges militia-
men. [NYT)
Artillery duels were fought between Christian mili-
tiamen and Syrian and Muslim forces in Beirut.
[NYT)
Foreign Minister Butrus met with Asad in Damas-
cus. [FBIS]
April 28: Syrian forces shelled Zahle. At least 12 people
were reported killed. [NYT)
Defense Minister JCizuf Skaf and Public Works
Minister Ilyas al-Hiriwi resigned their posts to pro-
test the Syrian actions at Zahle. [NYT)
UNIFIL said that an Irish soldier had been killed in
south Lebanon. [JP
Khaddam arrived in Beirut and met with Sarkis.
[FBIS]
Syrian troops attacked Christian forces in the Be-
kaa Valley. [NYT)
Israel jets shot down 2 Syrian helicopters in the
Bekaa Valley. Israel Premier Begin said Israel would
not allow the Syrians to "take over Lebanon and
annihilate the Christians." [WP}
A Syrian spokesman said the Israel action would
not "deflect Syria from the course it has charted in
Lebanon." [NYT)
April 29. Syria moved surface-to-air missiles into the
Bekaa Valley. [NYT)
Israel planes struck at targets in southern Lebanon
near the border with Israel. [NYT)
A US State Department spokesman said that the
US had "not given a green light to Israel to undertake
any military actions in Lebanon." [NYT)
missiles were being deployed by Syria in the Bekaa
Valley. [NYT)
The State Department said it was "looking into the
question" of whether Israel had violated agreements
with the US by using US built aircraft in recent raids
against targets in Lebanon. [NYT)
Israel settlements were shelled from Lebanese ter-
374 THE MIDDLE EAST JOURNAL
ritory. An Israel spokesman said that 8 people had
been slightly wounded. [NYT)
Sarkis sent a Lebanese Army unit to join 500
Lebanese soldiers alongside with the UN peacekeep-
ing force in south Lebanon. [NYT)
Libya
(Seealso, Algeria, Pakistan, Sudan)
1981
Feb. 12: Staff Major 'Abd al-Salam al-Jalliid arrived in
N'Djamena on a vist to Chad. [FBIS)
Feb. 13: Arab News reported that a Libyan pilot had
landed a Mirage jet at a military airport on Crete 2
days earlier and asked for asylum. [AN]
Feb. 20: South Yemeni Chairman of the Presidium 'All
Nas,ir Mu,hammad arrived in Tripoli for talks with
Libyan leaders. [FBIS)
March 10: Turkish Deputy Premier Turgut Ozal left
Tripoli at the end of a visit to Libya. [FBIS]
March 12. Nicaraguan Foreign Affairs Minister Miguel
d'Escoto left Tripoli at the end of a visit to Libya.
[FBIS]
The Moroccan news agency cited official Moroccan
sources as saying Libya had signed a contract with a
private West German company to buy missiles capa-
ble of carrying nuclear warheads. [NYTI
March 16: Egyptian Foreign Minister Kamil Hasan 'All
said that Egypt was channelling supplies to Chadian
guerrillas who were fighting the Libyan backed gov-
ernment of Chadian President Goukouni Oueddei.
[NYT)
March 19: The New York Times reported that Libya had
cut off oil deliveries to Greece. [NYT)
April 19: Head of State Mu'ammaral-Qadhdhifi arrived
in Nouakchott on a visit to Mauritania. [FBIS}
April 27: Head of State Qadhdhifi arrived in Moscow
and met with Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev.
[NYT)
April 28: A Libyan spokesman said that the Soviet
Communist Party newspaper Pravda had changed the
wording of a speech given by Qadhdhifi the night
before. The spokesman said that Qadhdhifi had said
it was necessary to guarantee the "independence and
neutrality" of Afghanistan and to "stop all forms of
outside interference." [NYT)
April 29. Qadhdhifi ended a visit to Moscow. A joint
communique said that Libya and the Soviet Union
rejected "attempts by imperialist circles to equate
international terrorism with the liberation struggle of
peoples." [NYT)
Qadhdhafi arrived in Belgrade for 2 days of talks
on international issues and bilateral cooperation.
[AN)
Morocco
(Seealso, Arab-Israeli Conflict, Algeria, Libya)
1981
March 15: King Hassan II arrived in Paris on a 2 day
private visit to France. [NYT}
March 16: Mauritanian radio said a Moroccan-spon-
sored attempt to overthrow the Mauritanian military
government had been foiled. [NYT}
Niger President Seyni Kountche arrived in Marra-
kesh and was met by Premier Maati Bouabid. [FBIS]
March 26: Senegalese President Abdou Diouf left Mar-
rakesh at the end of a visit to Morocco. [FBIS]
April 14: Sierra Leone President Siaka Stevens met with
King Hassan in Errachidia. [FBIS]
April 22: Iraqi Vice President Taha Muhyi al-Din
Marirf arrived in Casablanca on a 1 day visit to
Morocco. [FBIS]
Oman
(Seealso, Inter-Arab Affairs, Egypt, Kuwait, United
Arab Emirates)
1981
Feb. 10. Sultan Qabas bin Sa'id issued a decree appoint-
ing Shabib bin Taymur Minister of State. [FBIS]
Feb. 18: UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim met
with Sultan Qabus in Muscat. [MEED]
US Senator John Tower met with Sultan Qabus
during a visit to Omar. [NYTI
March 14: Former US President Gerald Ford met with
Sultan Qabuis in Muscat. [FBIS]
March 25: Muscat DomesticServicereported that Oman
had submitted a note to the Arab League outlining
"acts of aggression" carried out by South Yemeni
forces inside the southern region of Oman. [FBIS}
March26: British Defense MinisterJohn Nott met with
Sultan Qabuisin Salalah. [FBIS}
April 23: British Premier Margaret Thatcher met with
Sultan Qablusin Oman. [NYT}
April 24: British Premier Thatcher said in Oman that
she considered the Sultanate's anxiety about a Soviet
threat to the Gulf region "fully justified." [NYT]
Pakistan
(Seealso, Iran)
1981
Feb. 16: A grenade exploded at the national stadium in
Karachi, killing the man who was carrying it and
wounding 2. The explosion occurred minutes before
 CHRONOLOGY
Pope John Paul II was to arrive at the stadium.
[NYT)
Pope John Paul II celebrated mass at the national
stadium in Karachi. [NYT]
West German Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich
Genscher arrived in Islamabad for talks with Pakistani
leader. [FBIS]
Feb. 24: UAE President Shaykh Zayid bin Sultan Al
Nuhayyan met with President Mohammad Zia-ul-
Haq in Lahore. [FBISJ
Feb. 26. Nusrat Bhutto, widow of executed former
President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, was arrested in Lahore
after meeting with opposition leaders. [NYT)
A bombing and shooting attack at Karachi Univer-
sity left a pro-government student leader and 12
followers dead. [NYT]
It was reported that a bomb explosion in Quetta
had killed 1 person and wounded another. [NYTI
Feb. 27. Authorities released opposition leader. Nusrat
Bhutto from jail. [NYT]
March 1: UAE President Shaykh Zayid left Lahore for
Abu Dhabi at the end of an 8 day private visit to
Pakistan. [NYT}
March 2. A Pakistani airliner with 141 people on board
was hijacked on a domestic flight and forced to fly to
Kabul. [NYT}
March 3: The hijackers threatened to blow up the plane
unless 80 political prisoners were released by the
Pakistani government. [NYT]
March 4. The hijackers released 29 hostages. [NYT}
March 6: The hijackers killed a Pakistani diplomat
aboard the plane. [NYT}
March 7: Four hostages were freed by the hijackers at
Kabul airport. [NYTI
March 9: The hijacked airliner was flown to Damascus.
[NYTI
One of the hostages aboard the airliner was re-
leased in Damascus. The 3 hijackers threatened to
take "extremely drastic measures" if Pakistan did not
agree to free 92 prisoners. [NYT]
A new Cabinet was sworn in in Rawalpindi:
Agha Shahi: ForeignAffairs
Ali Ahmed Talpur: Defense
Arbab Niaz Mohammad Khan: Culture, Sports &
Tourism
Elahi Buksh Soomro: Industry
Fakhar Imam: Local Government& Rural Develop-
ment
Ghulam Dastgir Khan: Labor,Manpowerand Over-
seas Pakistani Affairs
Ghulam Ishaq Khan: Finance & EconomicAffairs
Inamul Khan: Housing & Construction
Maj. Gen. Jamaldar: Kashmir & Northern Areas
Affairs
Mahmud Haroon: Interior
Mohammad Abbas Khan Abbasi: Without Portfolio
Mohammad Ali Khan: Education
Mohammad Fazil Janjua: Food,Agriculture & Coop-
eratives
Mohyuddin Baluch: Communications
Nasiruddin Jogezai: Health & Social Welfare
Raja Sikandar Zaman: Water & Power
375
Farman Ali Khan: Petroleum& Natural Resources
Saeed Qadir: Production
Sayed Sharifuddin Pirzada: Attorney General
Zafarul Haq: Information & Broadcasting[FBISJ
March 10: The hijackers reduced the number of prison-
ers that had to be released. Pakistan said that more
than 30 people would be flown to Damascus in time
to meet a deadline for their release the following day.
[NYT]
March 11: The deadline for release of the Pakistani
prisoners was extended by the hijackers. [NYTI
March 12. The hijackers threatened to kill 3 Americans
aboard the plane. [NYT)
Pakistan agreed to release 55 prisoners. [NYT]
March 13: Libya agreed to receive the prisoners that
would be released by Pakistan. [NYT]
March 14: Libya reversed its decision and refused to
allow a plane carrying the released Pakistani prisoners
to enter Libyan airspace. [NYTI
The hijackers surrendered to Syrian authorities.
[NYT)
The plane carrying the released Pakistani prisoners
landed in Damascus. [NYT)
March 15. President Zia-ul-Haq called the hijacking
part of a conspiracy to turn Pakistan from its Islamic
path and warned that he would crush "anti-state
elements." [NYT)
March 22. Zia-ul-Haq said he had asked Syria to
extradite the 3 hijackers. [NYTI
Guinean President Ahmed Sekou Toure arrived in
Islamabad on a 3 day visit. [FBIS}
March 23: Syria refused to return the hijackers to
Pakistan. [NYT)
March 24: Zia-ul-Haq promulgated a law giving him the
right to amend the Constitution of 1973 at will.
[NYTI
March 25.' Supreme Court Chief Justice Anwar ul-Haq
and 8 senior judges were dismissed when they re-
fused to take an oath to uphold the law concerning
the amending of the Constitution. [NYT}
March 27: British Foreign Secretary Lord Carrington
arrived on a 2 day visit to Pakistan. [FBIS}
April 2. Zia-ul-Haq returned to Islamabad from Saudi
Arabia. [FBIS]
April 4: Police clashed with supporters of executed
former President Bhutto following a prayer meeting
at Bhutto's grave. [NYT}
April 9: The government said it would pay the US
$13.6m to rebuild the US Embassy. The Embassy had
been burned by demonstrators in November 1979.
[NYTI
April 18. Foreign Minister Agha Shahi left Karachi for
Washington. [FBIS]
April 19. The British Broadcasting Company cited Mir
Murtaza Bhutto, son of executed former President
Bhutto, as saying that the hijacking the month before
had been carried out by members of the Al Zulfikar
organization. [NYT)
April 21. Foreign Minister Shahi said that the US had
offered Pakistan a 5 year economic and military
assistance package. [NYT}
April 25. It was reported that the 3 hijackers of the
376 THE MIDDLE EASTJOURNAL
Pakistani plane and 2 5 of the political prisoners
released by Pakistan had gone to Afghanistan. [NYT]
Qatar
1981
March 18. Syrian Foreign Minister 'Abd al-Halim Khad-
dam arrived in Doha and met with Amir Shaykh
Khalifah bin Hamad Al Than!. [FBIS}
March 29. British Defense Secretary John Nott met
with Amir Shaykh Khalifah in Doha. [FBIS]
April 24: British Premier Margaret Thatcher arrived in
Doha on the last stage of a tour of Arab Gulf nations.
[NYT]
April 25: British Premier Thatcher met with Amir
Shaykh Kahalifah in Doha. [FBIS}
Saudi Arabia
(Seealso, Arab-Israel Conflict, Inter-Arab Affairs,
Petroleum Affairs, Afghanistan, United Arab
Emirates)
1981
Feb. 18: It was announced that Saudi Arabia was releas-
ing 21 Americans from Saudi jails as a "gesture of
good will." [NYT]
Feb.20: Swedish King Carl Gustaf arrived inJiddah on a
4 day visit. [FBIS)
March 7. The Foreign Ministry announced that Saudi
Arabia would establish diplomatic relations with Ice-
land and the Maldives. [NYT)
March 27: The International Monetary Fund (IMF)
announced that Saudi Arabia would provide the IMF
with $4.9 billion a year for the next 2 years in support
of an IMF lending facility for poor countries. [NYTI
April 15: UAE President Shaykh Zayid bin Sultan Al
Nuhayyan arrived in Riyadh on a private visit. [AN)
April 21: British Premier Margaret Thatcher ended a
visit to Saudi Arabia. [FBIS]
April 27: West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt
arrived in Riyadh for talks on economic, financial and
security issues. [NYT}
April 28. West German Chancellor Schmidt met with
Crown Prince Fahd and said that it was "not feasible"
at the present time for West Germany to end its
policy of not selling arms to any Middle East nation.
[NYTI
South Yemen
(Seealfo, Arab-Israeli Conflict, Algeria, Kuwait, Libya,
Oman, Syria)
1981
Feb. 1. Kuwaiti Amir Shaykh Jabir al-Ahmad Al $abah
arrived in Aden and was welcomed by Chairman of
the Presidium 'Ali Nasir Muhammad. [FBIS}
Feb. 13. Chairman of the Presidium Muhammad began a
visit to Ethiopia. [FBIS]
March 3: Muhammad met with Soviet President Leonid
Brezhnev in Moscow. [FBIS]
March 4: Muhammad returned to Aden at the end of a
visit to the Soviet Union and a stopover in Syria.
[FBIS]
April 10: Djibouti President Hassan Gouled ended a
visit to South Yemen. [FBIS]
Sudan
1981
Feb. 18: An Ethiopian-Sudanese joint border commis-
sion ended 4 days of talks in Ethiopia. An agreement
between the 2 countries was signed. [FBIS]
March 15: Egyptian Defense Minister Kamal Hasan 'Ali
said that "any threat to Sudanese security" was also a
threat to Egyptian security and that Egypt would not
allow Libya to threaten Sudan. UP]
March 17: The Sudanese news agency reported that 5
army officers had been arrested for plotting an unsuc-
cessful coup. [AN]
March 20: Arab News cited President Ja'far al-Numayri
as saying that if Sudan were attacked by "a superpow-
er," then Sudan's "friends" could make use of Suda-
nese military facilities. [AN)
March 21: Sudan and Egypt announced the restoration
of full diplomatic relations. [AN]
April 20: Djibouti President Hassan Gouled left Khar-
toum at the end of a 3 day visit to Sud'an.[FBIS]
April 21: Ugandan President Milton Obote arrived in
Khartoum on a 1 day visit. [FBIS]
April 22: Ugandan President Obote met with President
Numayri and later departed the country. [FBIS]
Syria
(Seealso, Arab-Israel Conflict, Bahrain, Iran-Iraq
Conflict Kuwait, Lebanon, Pakistan, Qatar, South
Yemen)
1981
Feb. 7: President Hafiz al-Asad left Bucharest at the
end of a visit to Rumania. [AN]
Feb. 15: Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister 'Abd al-
Halim Khadd~amreturned to Damascus at the end of a
2 day visit to Bangladesh. [FBIS]
Feb.21: South Yemeni Chairman of the Presidium 'Ali
Nasir Muhammad arrived in Damascus for talks with
Syrian leaders. [FBIS]
March 10: Lebanese President Ilyas Sarkis arrived in
Damascus and met with President Asad. [FBIS]
March 4. South Yemeni Chairman of the Presidium
 CHRONOLOGY
Muhammad arrived at Damascus airport from Mos-
cow and met with Asad. [FBISJ
March 17: Two gunmen assassinated the wife of a Syrian
leader of the Muslim Brotherhood at her home in
exile in West Germany. [NYT}
Tunisia
(Seealso, Inter-Arab Affairs)
1981
Feb. 10. Algerian Premier Mohamed Ben Ahmed Ab-
deighani met with President Habib Bourguiba during
a visit to Tunisia. [FBIS]
Feb. 18: Premier Mohamed Mzali began a visit to Paris
for talks with French leaders. [MEED]
Feb. 20: An agreement setting up a joint investment
bank with France was signed in Paris. [MEEDI
Turkey
(Seealso, Libya)
1981
Feb. 6: A deputy security chief and an aide were
assassinated near Istanbul. [NYTI
Feb. 22: The government released into US custody 4
Americans who had served prison terms for drug
smuggling. [NYTI
March 5: Two Turkish diplomats were assassinated in
Paris. [NYT)
March 8: Foreign Minister Ilter Turkmen arrived in
Dacca on a 4 day visit to Bangladesh. [FBIS}
March 14: Premier Bulent Ulusu announced that crimi-
nal proceedings had begun against people accused of
torture in 14 cases and that investigations were
continuing in 40 other incidents. [NYT]
March 16: An Iranian colonel and 11 other people
forced an Iranian transport plane to land at Van and
asked for political asylum in Turkey. [NYT}
March 17: The hijacked plane was returned to Iran.
[NYTI
March 26: It was announced that former Public Works
Minister *eraffetin Elci had been sentenced to prison
for making "Kurdish and secessionist propaganda."
[NYT]
March 31: The New York Times reported that a televi-
sion program had aired which declared there was an
extensive Kurdish organization in Turkey which was
apparently determined to use every means to achieve
an independent Kurdistan. [NYT]
377
April 3: A Turkish diplomat was shot and wounded in
Copenhagen. An Armenian group claimed responsi-
bility. [NYT)
April 6: Gunmen in Turkey fired on a car carrying 4 US
military specialists. No one was hurt. [NYT]
April 10: Officials said that the US Pentagon had
notified Congress that it planned to sell Turkey 15 F-
4E jets and other equipment. [NYTI
April 11: A Greek government spokesman said Greece
had protested to Turkey about 6 violations of Greek
airspace during the week by Turkish military aircraft.
[NYT]
April 15: The police announced the arrest of 49 mem-
bers of the Turkish Workers Peasants Liberation
Army on charges of trying to overthrow the govern-
ment by armed revolution. [NYT}
April 24: Leader of the National Salvation Party Nec-
mettin Erbakan and 33 followers went on trial in an
Ankara military court. They were charged with seek-
ing to establish an Islamic state. [NYTI
April 29: A trial of Nationalist Action Party leader
Alparslan TCirke?and 219 followers opened before a
military court. [NYTI
United Arab Emirates
(Seealso, Inter-Arab Affairs, Petroleum Affairs, Saudi
Arabia)
1981
Feb. 21: Ruler of Umm al-Qaiwayn Shaykh Ahmad
Ra,shidAl Mu'alla died. [FBIS)
Feb. 22: It was announced that Shaykh Rashid bin
Ahmad Al Mu'alla had been chosen ruler of Umm al-
Qaiwayn. [FBIS]
March 9: West German President Karl Carstens left
Abu Dhabi at the end of a short visit. [FBIS]
March 15: Former US President Gerald Ford arrived in
the UAE and met with President Shaykh Zayid bin
Sultan Al Nuhayyan [FBIS)
March 30: British Secretary of State for Defense John
Nott met with President Shaykh Zayid in the UAE.
[FBIS]
April 7: The EmiratesNews Agency cited a "responsible
source" in the Premier's office as saying that Oman
and Ras al-Khaimah had agreed to "adopt specific
bases in the demarcation of the border" between the
two. [FBIS}
April 21. A bomb exploded at a hotel in Abu Dhabi,
killing 2 people. [NYT]
April 22: British Premier Margaret Thatcher met with
President Shaykh Zayid in the UAE. [FBIS]
It was announced that the UAE would purchase
about 30 British Hawk trainer aircraft. [NYT}
April 29: West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt
arrived in Abu Dhabi from Saudi Arabia. [NYTI
378 THE MIDDLE EAST JOURNAL

April 30. West German Chancellor Schmidt met with citizens who had been held for a year on charges of
President Shaykh Zayid. [NYT] being spies. [NYT]

April 11: The Kuwaiti periodical Al Watan reported

Yemen that former Foreign Minister 'Abdallah al-Asnaj had
been executed after a trial. [FBIS]
(Seealso, Inter-Arab Affairs, Iraq)
April 20. The following Ministers were appointed:
Lutfi Husayn al-Kilabi: Local Government
1981 Ahmad Muhammad Luqman: State
Muhammad Husayn Jaghman: Municipalities &
Feb. 8: The government released from prison 2 US Housing [FBIS]

"This is the best thing I have seen for

giving the ' feel' of Afghanistan."
-Owen Lattimore, WashingtonPost
Young authorDavid Chaffetzand a companionwere travellers

A Journey:
throughthe remoteregionsof Afghanistanshortlybefore the
Russianinvasionof that country.The story of theirexperiences-
colorful, personal,touchedwith humorand poignancy-is the last
of its kind to capturethe essenceof the now threatenednomadic
Tbrougb life. Chaffetzbringsa rarecombinationof scholarshipand
adventuretogetherin a journeyat once authenticand enthralling.
"Mr. Chaffetz's 'Journey' . . . deserves a permanent niche
AIhlfQnliStE in the travelliteratureof that land."
-Edmund Fuller The Wall Street Journal
a IIEIORIAL
Availablefrom your bookselleror orderdirectfrom:
o REGNERYGATEWAY,INC.
360 WestSuperiorStreet $12.95,Hardbound
DouWCbnaffetz Chicago,Illinois
60610
(312)346-6646