Office of the Historian

300. Central Intelligence Agency Information Cable TDCS DB–315/02084–721 2

Washington, March 10, 1972
[Page 1]

Country

  • Iraq/USSR/Syria

DOI

  • Early March 1972

Subject

  • [text not declassified]

ACQ

  • (10 March 1972) Field No.

Source

  • A source whose reliability is established. His access has been verified.
[Page 2]
1.
In early March 1972, as a result of his mid-February 1972 visit to the USSR, Saddam Husayn al-Tikriti, Vice President of the Iraqi Revolutionary Command Council (RCC), was planning to conclude in the near future a military, economic and political agreement with the USSR.
2.
Iraq and the USSR are each preparing a draft version of the agreement. For its part, the USSR has set four preconditions to the conclusion of the agreement:
A.
Formation of a united front government in Iraq in which the Communist Party of Iraq would participate;
B.
Provision of facilities for the USSR Navy at Iraqi ports, in return for Soviet training and equipment for the Iraqi Navy;
C.
Consultation between Iraq and the USSR in case of a dispute involving either country and a third party; and
D.
Establishment of closer ties at all levels between Iraq and Syria.
3.
Ahmad Hasan al-Bakr, President of the RCC, does not want close ties with Syria. Al-Bakr fears this would place Iraq in a position of having a common border with Israel at a time when part of Syria is occupied by Israeli forces. Al-Bakr’s view coincides with the view held by Syrian refugees in Iraq, including former President of Syria Amin al-Hafiz.
[Page 3]

3. [text not declassified] Dissem: [text not declassified]

  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 603, Country Files, Middle East, Iraq, TDCSDB 315/02084–72. Secret; No Foreign Dissem; Controlled Dissem; No Dissem Abroad.↩
  2. The CIA notified Assistant to the President fot National Security Affairs Kissinger, Director of Intelligence and Research Cline, and Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency Bennett that the Soviet Union had established four preconditions to a Soviet-Iraqi military, economic, and political agreement.↩