YEVGENIY PRIMAKOV AND IRAQ

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06517096
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: March 16, 2022
• Document Release Date: September 14, 2016
• Case Number: F-2016-00894
• Publication Date: October 16, 2002

Approved for Release: 2016/05/10 C06517096
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
LEADERSHIP NOTE
RUSSIA
Yevgeniy Primakov and Iraq
Whom Does He Know?
Primakov has known Saddam Husayn since -
1969, when he was chief Middle East
correspondent for Pravda, working in Cairo and
frequently visiting Baghdad, and Saddam was
deputy chairman of Iraq's Revolution Command
Council. Later, as an aide to former Soviet
President Mikhail Gorbachev, Primakov served
as Moscow's shuttle diplomat to Iraq during the
Persian Gulf crisis of 1990-91, meeting with
Saddam on several occasions. Primakov's book,
Mission to Baghdad, chronicles that experience.
In a June 2001 interview, he claimed not to have
seen Saddam in over 10 years.
Primakov also has a longstanding relationship
with Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz. He
described Aziz to journalists in November 1996
as "my comrade for many years." During his
Cairo years (1966-70), Primakov dealt frequently
with Aziz, who then was chief editor of the
newspaper AI-Thawrah. As Foreign Minister
(.1996-98), Primakov met with Aziz in Moscow
in November 1996 and March 1997, in Baghdad
in May 1997, and in Moscow in November 1997.
On the last occasion, the talks were attended oil
the Iraqi side by Dr. Riyad al-Qaysi, Foreign
Ministry Under Secretary, and Dr. Hasan Fahmi
Jumah, Iraq's Ambassador to the Russian
Federation
Other Iraqi officials with whom Primakov has
met include Ambassador Abd-al-Amir al-Anbari,
then head of the Iraqi team to the oil talks with
the United Nations (Moscow, April 1996); the
Speaker of the Iraqi National Assembly Sadun
Hammadi (Moscow, July 1997); and Abd-Al-
Ghani Abd-Al-Ghafur, Bath Party Iraq Command
member (Moscow, April 1998). (U)
What Has He Done?
In 1994, according to an Arabic-language
newspaper published in London, Primakov, then
head of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service,
made an unannounced visit to Jordan, where he
met with unnamed Iraqi.politicians, whom he
attempted to persuade to recognize Kuwait.
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C/A
Primakov played a prominent role in defusing
the crisis that arose in late 1997 when Saddam
refused to allow UN weapons inspectors into the
country. US diplomats reported at the time that
several-Arab diplomats resident in Cairo spoke
highly of Primakov's abilities and his
understanding of the region, praising his
command of Arabic and his skill at dealing with
Saddam. These diplomats noted that Primakov
had sensitivit to Arab interests that the United
States lacked.
While he was Premier, Primakov had few
public dealings with Iraq, judging from the
Russian and Iraqi press.
This note was prepared by analysts in the Office of Russian and
European Analysis. Comments andqueries are welcome and may
be directed to the Russia Issue Manager, OREA;
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Primakov has spoken out frequently in
opposition to US military action against Iraq.
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\ Seymour
Hersh in The-New Yorker magazine in April 1999 �
reported that Aziz in November 1997 wired a �
payment of $800,000 to a bank account traceable
to Primakov.
Approved for Release: 2016/05/10 C06517096