“Iraq Slowly Moving Towards U.A.R.”

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28660, 9 August 1958, Page 13

“Iraq Slowly Moving Towards U.A.R.”

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 9 p.m.) BAGDAD, August 8. Iraq is moving steadily towards closer ties with the United Arab Republic. Outward signs of the trend have been noted in Arabic newspapers which have turned their attention from internal corruption and suppression fostered by imperialism to the future international aims of Iraq.

Or.e example is the newspaper “Al Yaqda” which said yesterday: “As the solemn national march has taken its course to achieve unity and freedom under the leadership of Gamal Abdul Nasser and the establishment of an Iraqi liberal republic, we have no reason not to consider ourselves part of the Arab Republic. We openly state that we want union with the United Arab Republic.”

On Wednesday night the Ministry of Education announced plans for the unification of Iraqi arid United Arab Republic education schemes, including the return of 300 Egyptian teachers to Iraq and the appointment of an Egyptian as head of Bagdad University. It had earlier been announced that Iraq would be represented by the United Arab Republic in countries where it had ho diplomatic missions of its own. Political observers have detected the strongest pro-Nasser currents beneath the surface. Many feel .sure it will only be a matter of time before Iraq withdraws formally from the Bagdad Pact. The Iraqi Foreign Minister (Brigadier Obdul Jaffar) said in a statement published yesterday: “Iraq would like to see a summit conference succeed in leaving the Middle East out of military pacts.” Premier’s New Line The Prime Minister (Brigadier Kassem) who had earlier refused to comment on the pact, has recently taken a new line for press conference questions: “Iraq is already adequately defended by its membership of the United Nations.” t Diplomatic sources in Bagdad feel the last hope for keeping Iraq in the pact would be to transform it into a purely economic alliance. The mainstay of the proNasser fervour in Iraq is, however. the people, who, from years of clandestine listening to Cairo Radio, see' in the United Arab Republic’s President their own brother who showed them. how to throw off the yoke of oppression and imperialism. Delegations of peasants and tribesmen from all over Iraq are arriving in Bagdad daily in lorries plastered with photographs of President Nasser to express their loyalty to the new Iraqi regime.

Personal Friends of Nasser Many of the Vnost sophisticated and Europeanised members of the Government, such as the Information Minister, (Mr Sanshal) and the Minister of Finance (Brigadier Habib)—who studied at the London School of Economics—are also close personal friends of President Nasser. Now the United States and Britain have recognised the new Republic and businessmen investing in Iraq have been partly reassured by the moderation of revolutionary leaders but observers ■ see little to stop the natural trend towards the United Arab Republic.

Some even think that now the initial post-revolution objectives—internal security and a measure of foreign confidence — have been ’ secured, Iraq will shortly wash its hands of the Bagdad Pact and openly join forces with the United Arab Republic.