(UNTITLED)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85T00287R001300530001-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: January 12, 2017
• Document Release Date: August 11, 2010
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: February 7, 1984
• Content Type: REPORT

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/28: CIA-RDP85T00287RO01300530001-1
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Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/28: CIA-RDP85T00287RO01300530001-1
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/28: CIA-RDP85T00287R001300530001-1
Middle East Situation Report #31
(as of 1100 EST, 7 February 1984)
LEBANON/SYRIA
Army forces in East Beirut have held together, but are
Amal leader
Nabih Barri told Ambassador Bartholomew today that he wants no
more fighting, and that the situation is getting out of hand.
prospects for
formal partition are growing. Gemayel must make
major concessions to his opponents if his government is to
survive. He doubts, however, that Christian hardliners will
permit Gemayel to do so.
various press reports
indicate that the Army has lost control of West Beirut and the
southern suburbs. LAF units there have returned to their
barracks, deserted, or have been captured by Druze and Shia Amal
militiamen.
morning that LAF units have evacuated Beirut
International Airport,
anti-Gemayel
forces succeeded in capturing the Ministry of Information
Building that houses the state-run news media, including
official Beirut radio and television.
Fadi Fram, leader of the Christian Lebanese Forces militia,
has called publicly on all Christian militiamen to join their
units.
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-- Fram said that despite confidence in the government, 25X1
Christians had to be prepared to defend themselves and
their areas.
According to press reports, one French soldier was killed
and two French and eight Italian MNF soldiers were wounded in the
fighting yesterday. Italian Foreign Minister Guilio Andreotti
has called for a meeting tomorrow of foreign ministers of
countries participating in the MNF in Lebanon. According to
press reports, Mr. Andreotti felt "the situation needed to be re-
examined in light of the recent dramatic turn of events in
Lebanon."
NESA M#84-10062CX
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/28: CIA-RDP85T00287R001300530001-1
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/28: CIA-RDP85T00287R001300530001-1
-- The deteriorating situation in Beirut almost certainly
will increase domestic pressure on the Italian Government
to withdraw its soldiers from the MNF.
According to US Envoy Donald Rumsfeld, President Gemayel's
representatives have approached several former Sunni prime
ministers to fill the post vacated by Prime Minister Wazzan last
weekend.
-- All the prospective candidates--Taqih al-Din al-Sulh,
Rashid al-Sulh, Salim al-Huss, and Rashid Karami--
apparently view abrogation of the 17 May Lebanon-Israel 25X1
Withdrawal Accord as essential for survival of a future
Lebanese Government.
PERSIAN GULF
Our Interests Section in Baghdad reports that last week's
visit by Assistant Secretary Murphy has left the impression of
"rapidly improving" bilateral relations. There is local
speculation that full diplomatic ties may soon be restored. The
Interests Section cautions that Iraqi expectations of US support
for the pipeline to Aaaba are "perhaps too high."
Most of the six Gulf Cooperation Council states are to meet
this Saturday for Saudi-initiated talks on a joint response to
the Iranian threat to attack oil facilities and Persian Gulf
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shipping. It will be the fourth such session; so far, the UAE
and Qatar have not participated.
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Iran's Ambassador to the Holy See, Khosrowshanian, was named
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in a recent Sunday Times article as the mastermind of a Tehran-
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received an of
ficial Iranian denial of the charge.
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 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/28: CIA-RDP85T00287R001300530001-1
Iranian exile General Oveisi, a chief of staff under the
Shah, and his brother were murdered by three gunmen in Paris
today.
IRAN-IRAQ WAR
Saddam Husayn yesterday declared that Iraq will strike the
11 Iranian cities announced as targets in recent days. He
asserted that the advance warnings absolved Baghdad of any "moral
obligation" toward Iranians remaining in those urban areas.
Assembly Speaker Rafsanjani said today that four Shia holy 25X1
cities inside Iraq would be exempt from Iranian retaliation.
Tehran radio has specified Basrah, Khanaqin, and Mandali as
potential Iranian targets. Iran had not previously targeted
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Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/28: CIA-RDP85T00287R001300530001-1
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/28: CIA-RDP85T00287R001300530001-1
SUBJECT: Middle East Situation Report #31
(As of 1100 EST, 07 Feb 84)
NESA M#84-10062CX
DISTRIBUTION:
Cy 1 - DCI
Cy 2 - DDCI
Cy 3 - DCI/SA/IA
Cy 4 - DDI
Cy 5 - DDO/NE
Cy 6 - DDO/NE
Cy 7 - DDO/NE
Cy 8 - C/PES
Cy 9 - NIO/NESA
Cy 10,11,12,13 - CPAS/IMD/CB
Cy 14
Cy 15
Cy 16
Cy 17
Cy 18,19
Cy 20
Cy 21,22
Cy 23
Cy 24,25
DDI/NESA/AI&PGf
- CPAS/PDB (NID)
- CPAS/PDB-WATCH OFFICE
- OGI/IIC/TAB
- D/NESA
- NESA/PPS
- NESA/AI
- NESA/AI/L
- NESA/PG
- NESA/PG/I
(7Feb84)
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/28: CIA-RDP85T00287R001300530001-1