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WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
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Iraq
Index
In 1988 Iraq maintained cordial relations with Turkey, its
non-Arab neighbor to the north. Turkey served as an important
transshipment point for both Iraqi oil exports and its commodity
imports. A pipeline transported oil from the northern oil fields
of Iraq through Turkey to the Mediterranean Sea. Trucks carrying
a variety of European manufactured goods used Turkish highways to
bring imports into Iraq. There was also trade between Turkey and
Iraq, the former selling Iraq small arms, produce, and textiles.
In addition, Iraq and Turkey have cooperated in suppressing
Kurdish guerrilla activities in their common border area.
Outside the Middle East, Iraq maintained correct relations
with other countries. Iraq identified itself as part of the
Nonaligned Movement of primarily African and Asian nations,
actively participated in its deliberations during the late 1970s,
and successfully lobbied to have Baghdad chosen as the site for
its September 1982 conference. Although significant resources
were expended to prepare facilities for the conference, and
Saddam Husayn would have emerged from the meeting as a recognized
leader of the Nonaligned Movement, genuine fears of an Iranian
bombing of the capital during the summer of 1982 forced the
government reluctantly to request that the venue of the
conference be transferred to New Delhi. Since that time,
preoccupation with the war against Iran, which also is a member
of the Nonaligned Movement, has tended to restrict the scope of
Iraqi participation in that organization.
Data as of May 1988
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