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recently summed up the government split.
“The clergy. it said, ‘represents the
traditional type of Iranian who wants to
have little to do with the West, and even
wants to go back to the old way of life. On
the other side, you have the liberal
intellectuals who have perhaps been
educated in the West, and who would Ike to
see Iran develop along western lines.”

This quarrelling between revolutionary
factions has hampered the campaign to
drive Iragi troop from Iran's Khuzestan
province. It also complicated the long
overdue release of the US hostages, and has
stunned Iran's post-revolution recovery.

Underneath Iran's scorching
nctorie lies an appalling mess
of figures: Iran's gross national product has
tumbled 20 per cent since the revolution; a
war-shortage of spare parts and raw
materials has cut industrial capacity in the
same period by 30 per cent: Europea
bunkers, even after Iran used part of its
unfrozen national assets to pay off $3.7bn in
old debts, still regard the Khomeini regime
as a bad credit risk; and unemployment in
Iran, while no reliable official statistics
exist, reportedly still runs as high as three
million — around 25 per cent.

Allegations are rife that certain
prominent revolutionary Iranians are
skimming off profits from the discounted
sale of crude by the National Iranian Oil
Company (NIOC). Reports from Tehran
claim that these figures, which allegedly
include a former Cabinet minister and a
relative of a leading clergyman in the
Majlis, are demanding that Iran's clients
deposit a certain commission on every
barrel into numbered Swiss bank accounts.
Tran's agriculture has been similarly
afflicted. Ayatollah Khomeini reportedly
halted a controversial scheme for
redistributing land belonging to feudal
landlords after accusations that several
influential clergymen had prevented
peasants from receiving millions of hectares
in unused farm land.

‘A businessman operating on Tehran's
black market had an explanation for the
current wave of profiteering. “After you've
had the revolutionary guards take
possession of your house, all the Persian
carpets und everything, you realise that the
only safe place for your income is outside
Iran, he told 8 Days.

Obviously, the arbitrary arrests and the
government's internal fractures aren't

16

exactly a boon to investors. But judging
from Tehran's handling of the hostage
crisis, there are signs of a new pragmatism in
the Khomeini regime, a recognition that the
imernecine struggle between moderates
and fundamentalists will only continue
aggravating Iran's economic ills.

‘At first, the fundamentalists’ hostage
exchange deal with Washington was
predictably attacked by Iran’s moderate
president. When informed that Iran had
settled for a return of only $2.8bn instead of
its original'security’ deposit of $24bn, Bani
Sadr jeered that the fundamentalists
‘thought nobody in Iran would be reading
the fine print.” He then let fire in the
newspaper Islamic Revolution: ‘Why didwe
solve this (hostage) problem from a position
of weakness and humiliation instead of
strength? What surprises us is how these
gentlemen can say Iran is victorious.”

However, this time the blistering
accusations stopped at the daily front pages.
Bani Sadr's aides refrained from opening a
Majlis investigation into the hostage deal,
and also from voicing their complaints
direct to Ayatollah Khomeini. Since the 52
‘Americans’ release on 20 January, Iran's
revolutionary leader has scarcely
mentioned the hostage issue.

There are indications that Khomeini,
reportedly suffering from heart trouble, is
pulling back from publicllfe. After a scuffle
broke out in the crowd waiting near
Khomeini's North Tehran home recently,
authorities banned well-wishers from
‘siting the ailing ayatollah without an
appointment.

So far, neither Khomeini nor his
fundamentalist followers have acted to curb
the stream of foreign businessmen who
began arriving a few hours after the
hostages flew from Tehran, and the West's
ineffectual trade ban against Iran was
finally lifted. First arrivals at Tehran airport
were traders from Japan, which lifted
520,000 barrels a day (b/d) until April last
year, when a 12-company Japanese
consortium broke a long-term contract
after Tran tried to increase prices.

“Getting an open telephone line from
Tokyo to Tehran has been impossible,”
complained one Japanese oil trader last
week. ‘They've been booked solid since at
least two days before the hostages flew
home.’ Top priority on the Japanese agenda
is establishing what are Iran's plans for the
war-battered Bandar Khomeini

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Some opponents state that it is impossible to establish a Western-type democracy

in a country which has barely emerged from feudalism and in which slavery continues
to be practiced, even though it has officially been abolished. They are afraid that
a majority of feudal lords will get into parliament, which would lead to a resurgence
of tribalism and racial tensions. These opponents would have preferred that a
"progressive" military-civilian government lead the country.

In a sermon, the imam of the great mosque of Nouakchott expressed his opinion that
Mauritania, as an Islamic republic, does not need a constitution and can manage with
the Koran. He also came out against the freedom of conscience clause included in
the draft constitution,

We should note, finally, that some black Africans would like for their national
languages to be recognized as "official"; this status has been conferred only on
Arabic (thus replacing French) in the draft constitution.

COPYRIGHT: Rene Moreux et Cie., Paris 1981

cso: 4400
- 11915

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On the basis of these answers the secretariat general decided to present
the matter to the [general] assembly of the Arab League at its meeting
that is expected on 21/1/1981 in Tunisia.

These new positions aroused concern in the Syrian capital. Syria, there-
fore, began contacting these countries immediately to persuade them to
turn away from this position.

Under the cover of investigating significant Arab questions Syria dis-
patched its minister of foreign affairs, ‘Abd-ai-Nalim Khaddam to Saudi
Arabia and to the Gulf area to discuss the matters of the area and their
development and to request that these countries change their position on
the question of the presence of the deterrent forces in lebanon.

According to reliable sources in Arab League circles Minister Khaddam
said that Syria was prepared to withdraw its troops from Lebanon
immediately when the legitimate government asks it to do so. On the other
hand, Syria cannot leave an important side of its borders uncovered to
the Israeli troops.

Khaddam insisted on referring to the air battle that took place over

South Lebanon. ile affirmed that "Syria is performing its national duty
in Lebanon, and the wealthy Arab countries are supposed to contribute
to [the cost of] these troops remaining in Lebanon."

Although it is difficult to find out how the Arab countries responded
to these statements, it is assumed that the response was [as follows]:

Is it possible that the presence of the Syrian forces in Lebanon will
deter Israel from attacking Syria if it wants to? If Israel wants to
wage a war against Syria, can Syria guarantee that it can defend itself
and win the battle when 40,000 Syrian soldiers are on Lebanese territory?

Israeli airplanes do not only fly over South Lebanon; they also fly over
Beirut, al-Jabal and North Lebanon. Why was there no opposition to these
flights in all of Lebanon's air space if what is intended is the defense
of Lebanon's air space, Lebanon's people and the Palestinian Resistance?

During the years of their presence in Lebanon the deterrent forces were
to have helped in the establishment of a Lebanese army and Lebanese
security forces that would undertake to carry out the functions of
defense and security. lowever, the events did prove that it was Syria
that impeded che process of building Lebanon's security and that it
clashed more than once with the forces of the Lebanese army and with

the Lebanese security forces. [The Syrian deterrent forces] imposed their
authority even on the Lebanese police authorities.

The selection of 40,090 Syrian soldiers to be stationed in Lebanon means

that the burden of these troops was to be borne by some Arab countries
even though the presence of these troops is no longer an Arab

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SYRIA

JEWISH LEADER URGES AL-ASAD ON EMIGRATION
LD201219 London THE TIMES in English 20 Feb 81 p 7

[Excerpts] Damascus, 18 Feb--The leader of Syria's small, but culturally
unique Jewish community today appealed to President Al-Asad to allow more
than 100 Jewish girls to leave the country in order to marry abroad.

In an interview with THE TIMES, Mr Salim Totah, president of the Jewish
Community Council in Damascus, pleaded with the president to ease the
restrictions on emigration from Syria so that the girls, all aged 20 and 25,
could travel to America or Europe to find husbands.

The sensitive issue of Jewish emigration from Syria is a fraught and highly
controversial one for President Al-Asad's government. Jewish organizations
abroad--and especially Israelis--ciaim that the 5,000 Jews of Syria are
effectively held as hostages by the Damascus regime, and virtually forbidden
to travel abroad for fear that they will go to Israel.

The Syrian Government denies this and claims that Jews live with the same
rights, and restrictions, as any other Syrian citizen. When the president

. permitted 12 Jewish girls to emigrate to America two years ago it was treated
as a major concession by the government.

Mr Totah said repeatedly that President Al-Asad had done much for Syria's
Jewish community and that his coreligionists had equal rights with all other
citizens. "We are Syrian Arab citizens," he said. "We were born in Syria.

I am very jealous about my Syrian nationality. We have all our rights.

There used to be restrictions upon us until five years ago, but they have been
lifted, thakks to President Al-Asad.

"But we have one problem which is for us the problem of problems. We have
between 100 and 150 girls between 20 and 25 years old. They want to get
married, but unhappily the housing crisis here and the high cost of living
has made marriage very difficult.

"As you know, young men need money to get married, and our young men prefer
girls of between 18 and 20. The only solution, which we think about day and

night, is that the older girls should be able to travel abroad to have a better
chance of marriage.

2

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Some fruit and vegetable cooperatives employ 180 persons at their
headquarters and they are genuine parasites, whose expense the pro-
ducers bear unjustifiably. The CAPCs which had as their main func-
tion supplying instruments and means of production and only had to
market marginal products, have made this secondary function their
main assignment, becouse individual interests have operated in this
direction and consequently their transport facilities were lacking
to supply producers; it will be necessary to return these organiza~
tions to their main purpose of "services."

Small Peasantry and Agrarian Revolution

Selim Saadi declared flatly that the small peasants had only re-
ceived very little assistance up until recently; they were confused,
quite wrongly, with the agrarian feudal system. A completely daif-
ferent policy is going to be followed with respect to this sector,
which, neglected as it is, is nonetheless the most productive group
in Algerian agriculture and it could do much better if it was
properly helped. From 5,000 to 6,000 tractors are going to be de-

- livered this year to the small peasants, or the equivalent of what
they have received in the last decade, The effort in the field of
small hydraulics will be increased sevenfold.

Of course, the RA /Agrarian Revolution/ which is one of the govern-
ment's major decisions, will be continued, but more strictly. The
first and second stage of the RA, that is to say, distribution among
the destitute peasants of estate lands and surplus private proper—
ties, says the minister, should have ended after 1976 at least. A
determined effort is now being made to successfully conclude them.
According to the reports of the wilayas, 90 percent of the land,
including 95 percent of the usable surface, has been distributed,
and many cases are no longer in doubt; a final inspection has just
been assured on the spot by the members of the national RA committee,
who, moreover, have confirmed that due to lack of qualified person-
nel, the files were not up to date in some people's communal assem-
blies.

A technical commission, including, among others, land survey regis-
ter officials, cartographers etc, has consequently been created by
the national RA commission to carry out the final inspections in
the communes. The definite termination of the second and third
stage will take place on 15 September 1981.

Regarding the very widespread criticism in public opinion, Selim
Saadi recognized that some awards have been made illegally, without
the appeals commissions having the time to make a decision. Never-
theless, few restorations have taken place and if the total surface
of the national RA fund has been reported as decreasing, it is not,
as is often claimed, because of restorations made in favor of

- 10

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LEBANON

WALID JUNBLAT DISCUSSES POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO LEBANON'S CRISIS
Junblat's New Formula
Paris AL-WATAN AL-'ARABI in Arabic 2-8 Jan 81 pp 20-23

[Text] Walid Junblat tel1s AL-WATAN AL-'ARABL, "There are
no conditions for the dialogue with the Lebanese Front."

"Our objective is to persuade the other group that it is
wrong to deal with Israel."

"The people of al-Damur have the right to return to their
: property. We will find for the Palestinians land that is
: closer than al-Bisariyah.""

"The Chamber of Deputies na longer represents the people.
We must have new elections before the end of this year."

“amal's posture vis a vis the government yielded negative
results."

“Every political settlement in the Gulf must respect Iraq's
legitimate rights."

Ever since he declared that "Dialogue with the Lebanese Front was inescapable,"
Mr Walid Junblat, president of the Lebanese National Movement has rushed to the
surface of events a new equation that bears some features of a detente. The
formula with which the president of the Socialist Porgressive Party proclaimed
his willingness to engage in a dialogue appeared as though it were an extension
of an established course to which the party has been committed for the past years,
or it appeared to be an urgent mission to take steps to forestall the dangers
that are threatening Lebanon more than any other time.

Tt is evident that Walid Junblat is more qualified than others for launching the
national dialogue. He is a Druze leader from al-Shuf; he comes from an old,
respectable family; and he inherited from his father relations of confidence

with the national progressive parties and with the Palestinian Resistance. Junblat

: 20

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MAURITANIA

BRIEFS

FRENCH-MAURITANIAN SIGNALING AGREEMENT--The French JOURNAL OFFICIEL of 2~3 February
1981 publishes a decree of 29 January 1981 concerning the cooperation agreement on
maritime signaling signed between France and Mauritania in Nouakchott on 23 Novem-
ber 1979. This is essentially a cooperation agreement involving the specific field
of maritime signaling and according to whose terms the French Beacons and Buoys
Department provides Mauritanian departments with technical aid financed by France.
The aid mainly includes: the drafting of programs for the development or modifi-
cation of maritime signals; the development of projects defining the features of
facilities, equipment to be used and methods for its use; the sending of engineers
for short missions; the sending of typical technical notices concerning both mari-
time signaling establishments as well as means of service; the supplying of tech-
nical documents on scientific bases and their technological applications to mari-
time signaling; and the worldwide dissemination of nautical information received
from Mauritania. In addition, at Mauritania's request, France could contribute to
expenditures for equipment and major repairs in connection with Mauritania's mari-
time signaling for facilities of international interest. [Text] [Paris MARCHES
TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS in French 6 Feb 81 p 306] 11,464

PRC COOPERATION AGREEMENT--Mohamed 0. Amar, minister of rural development, recently
joined with Zhao Yuan, Chinese ambassador to Nouakchott, in signing a cooperation
agreement to aid the economic and financial recovery of the M'Pourie plain. Ac-
cording to the agreement, the People's Republic of China will make high-level
technicians and an operating fund of 54 million ouguiya available to the farm. For
its part, the Mauritanian Government is extending certain privileges, particularly
a reduction in taxes and customs duties during the recovery period and exemption
from entry duties for indispensable production items and equipment. [Text] [Paris
MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS in French 6 Feb 81 p 307] 11,464

LIBYAN AID TO FISHING COMPANY--Libya has transferred $5 million to the Mauritanian
Fishing Company, according to an announcement made on 31 January by Jormetta Sou-
neissi, secretary of the Libyan Friendship Office in Nouakchott, following his
meeting with Mauritanian Minister of Interior Baham Ould Mohamed Laghdaf. The
Libyan diplomat indicated that he had assured the minister of his country's willing-
. ness to grant all necessary aid to Mauritania. The provisions made are one of the
results of the visit to Mauritania on 18 January of the head of Libyan diplomacy,
[Surmatta Sunaysi] Tuvayki. The visit came after a period of tension between
the two countries, marked by the expulsion of three Libyan diplomats accused of
subversive activities. [Text] [Paris MARCHES TROPLCAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS in
French 6 Feb 81 p 307] 11,464

. 38
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INTER-ARAB AFFAIRS

ALGERIAN COOPERATION WITH IRAN
Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS in French 30 Jan 81 p 240

- [Text] ‘The release of the American hostages from Tehran was an undisputed
success for Algerian diplomacy, a success indicative of the rapprochement
between Algeria and Iran since the shah's fall. The official remarks made in
Algiers just after the outbreak of the Iranian-Iraqi conflict already proved
this; they deplored the breakdown in the agreement concluded there several
years ago but they were favorable to Tehran. However, in the shah's time,
Algeria rejected any relations with the government in power, so today there is

- still almost no bilateral cooperation. Apparently, both parties want to change
this state of affairs.

Last week, an Iranian delegation headed by Mr Moussa Klantari, minister of
transports and communications, went to Algiers on 21 and 22 January 1981, to
meet with an Algerian delegation headed by Mr Salah Goudjil, minister of
transportation and fishing. Beginning with the situation that, until now,
only a single telex really linked Algiers and Tehran despite the frequent
exchange of delegations, the two delegations agreed to extend the rapprochement
to other areas. ‘The political backdrop, said the Algerian national agency,
“ALGERIA PRESS SERVICE," will henceforth be supported by an economic framework,
and the transportation and communications sector will be the cornerstone and
the first step.

Thus, anxious for close cooperation in the pre-eminently strategic sector, the
Iranian and Algerian delegations decided to act in certain areas. For
example, the creation of a joint maritime company and the exchange of
maritime navigation information were discussed. Port use and management,
serious problems for both countries because of the volume of their imports
and exports, were also studied, as well as the possibility of a maritime
agreement.

These talks also made recommendations about land transportation, where the
innovation will probably be for Islamic nations to build a road system.

According to the proposals, air transportation experts and information will be

exchanged; this was already discussed at a meeting in Tehran on 14 January 1981.
Civil aviation personnel are te receive technical training in the state

1
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LEBANON

- REN!

(Al, OF MANDATE OF ARAB DETERRENT FORCES DISCUSSED

Paris AL-WATAN AL-'ARARL in Arabic 23-29 Jan 81 p 27

{Article: "Deterrent Forces Are Looki
Is Calling for the ! Emergency Troops" ]

for Financing; the Lebanese Front

[Text] The question that goes beyond the borders of Lebanon and looks
for an answer in capitals other than Arab capitals is this: Will the

deterrent forces remain in Lebanon? Will their mandate be extended, and
if so, for how long? =

It seems that the question of the presence of the deterrent forces in
Lebanon has also entered into a dead end road. Their presence is under
consideration, and their continuation [in Lebanon] has become subject to

a limited time.

The Lebanese almanac is not restricted to [information about] the
seasons, the months and the days. It goes beyond all that and records
certain dates which are the dates for extending the mandate of the Arab
deterrent forces by the Arab League.

- Whenever the time for the extension approaches, a battle would break out
in some region and the deterrent forces would be behind the battle so as
to force the Lebanese state to ask for an extension of their presence and
to persuade others that their presence in Lebanon was necessary to

protect the people, to protect security and...the legitimate government!

When the clashes occurred recently in the Lebanese city of Zahlah
(al-Biqa'), many people said that this was the beginning of the pressure
for extending the mandate of the deterrent forces.

= However, the Zahlah clashes were the beginning of a reverse pressure.

For the first time voices were heard in Europe and in America condemning

the shelling of the city of Zahlah and reminding [others] that the deter-

rent forces had come to Lebanon to be under the command of the lebanese -
government and not to be a government over the government.

31
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petrochemical plant. Technicians assessing
the damage at Bandar Khomeini, which was
hit several times by aerial attacks in the
opening shots of the war, claim that
repairing the plant completely will cost
$4.8bn, double original estimates. Mitsui,
which Ted the construction consortium of
five Japanese firms, completed 85 per cent
of the project before the war began.

Fast or, the heels of the Japanese have
been the Europeans. Italian firms are
expected to capture an estimated $3bn in
construction contracts and export goods
this year. The Talbot car company of the
UK, the Chrysler subsidiary recently
acquired by Peugot, has agreed to resume
supplies of automobile kits for assembly at
the Isfahan plant.

More crucial for Iran is the return of two
big European oil companies, British
Petroleum and Shell. The Dutch oil
company, the first major western purchaser
that Iran picked up after the economic
embargo was lifted, reportedly now buys
about 100,000 b/d. British Petroleum
officials last week were in Tehran for talks
on resuming deliveries. Before the two
companies cancelled their Iranian contracts
last April — again, over a price dispute —
they together lifted 250,000 bid.

European oilmen who recently met
officials from NIOC were informed that the
state-run firm intends to push up
production gradually to 3m b/d, of which at
least 2.5m b/d will be marked for export. At
present, Iran pumps between 700,000 and
‘900,000 b/d. These oilmen reject the theory
that to reach these levels Iran must waive its
ban on foreign, and particularly American,
ngtroleum expertise and spare parts. When
Khomeini booted out the oil companies
everyone was predicting that Iran's oil
would silt up completely,’ said one oilman.
He added grudgingly, ‘The ingenuity of
these Iranians has been a constant surprise
tous.”

Mistakes, and bad ones, were made in the
Khuzestan oilfields after foreign experts
left, At the offshore Kharg Island loading
terminal, an Iranian technician reportedly
blew up a giant crude storage tank by simply
opening the wrong valve, according to
petroleum industry sources in London
‘When the war started, they tried to blame
the damage on Iraqi bombers,’ the sources
said.

Two years after the revolution, the
Iranians have mastered their oilfields, and

17

several European oilmen claim that,
barring an all-out Iraqi bombing raid in
Khuzestan, NIOC can indeed pump 3m b/d
without needing to have the ‘satanic’ US

Sadr

firms back. A few months ago, Ba
put thousands of urgently needed
oilfield equipment on display in a huge
convention hall and, blithely ignoring
international patent laws, called on
assembled mechanics and inventors to build
the equipment, promising cash on the table.
Government purchases of these inventions
so far amount to $150m. Furthermore, the
revolutionary regime has been able to
cannibalise equipment left in the Khuzestan
oilfields from the time when Iran under the
Shah produced over Sm bid.

But there may nevertheless be a hitch.
Most of these spares are stored in large
warehouses at Abadan, which is now
besieged by Iraqi troops, and it is possibie
that they may already have been spit
to Baghdad for repairing Iraq's own
war-blasted oilfields. Iraqi troops
reportedly have already hauled several
million-dollar Tranian oil rigs across their
border.

If this equipment is inaccessible, Iran may
approach US oil firms like Brown & Root,
Halliburton, Reed Tool and Lummus which
supply high-technology pumps, valves,
drilling bits, services, and petroleum
computer equipment. War with Iraq has
sobered Iran's revolutionary zeal, even to
the point of taking on South Africa as a
crude customer. In the London
commodities market, persistent reports are
circulating that Iran, now desperate for cash
customers, sells spot crude through a
well-known broker for South Africa.

On Iran's list of demons, South Africa
probably comes in joint third with Israel,
behind Iraq and the United States. If it
needs the equipment, Iran may even scratch
the US off tke list. Or, more simply, it may
just purchase the US hardware through a
European agent, probably Belgium.
However, obtaining spare sparts for its
largely US-equipped armed forces may be
more difficult.

Following the stories of the hostages’
alleged ill-treatment by their Iranian
captors, a recent poll in the US showed that
most Americans consider Iran America’s
Public Enemy No. 1 — including even the
Soviet Union. Itseemsunlikely that Reagan
will quickly unblock $400m worth of arms
already paid for.

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[Answer] This is not true. On our part we can make the same statement. We too
are calling for a capable spokesman. Who will he be? Will it be Camille
Sahm'un or the Phalangist Party?

- Dialogue with No Conditions

[Question] In an interview with al~Shaykah Amin al-Jumayyil that preceded the

- "France en Terre" broadcast you said that cooperation with the Phalangists was
not being considered because the Phalangists were cooperating with Israel. How
can this obstacle be overcome today?

[Answer] Having relations with Israel is a major obstacle, but we cannot set
preconditions for the dialogue such as suspending relations with Israel. One of
the objectives of the dialogue is to persuade the other party that such relations
are erroneous and dangerous. We will not set preconditions so that matters will
not become more complex than they are already.

[Question] Most of your answers are brief. You answer in few words.

[Answer] Did anyone tell you that I like to talk? I do not like to talk. I
say a few words if I have something to say.

[Question] People are fed up. ‘They are waiting for a solution; they are waiting
for a dialogue that would lead to some solution. What are the conditions of the
National Movement for a new national accord formula?

{Answer} The National Movement has clarified its conditions in the memorandum
that was read at the Beau Rivage Hotel on 14 February 1980. President Sarkis
relied on this memorandum in his conciliatory message. In the opinion of the
National Movement these conditions guarantee a political solution, but they are
not enough to prevent upsets and wars in the future. What is required is a
developing political system.

[Question] What are your plans for developing this system?

[Answer] Our ideas are always derived from the step-by-step political program
that was devised by the founder and the leader of the National Movement, Kamal
Junblat.

[Question] But this program goes back to 1975?

[Answer] I consider it an advanced step that would move Lebanon into a sound
political climate, achieve sound political representation of all the activities
and remove the traces of the civil war and the deadly effects of sectarianism
in Lebanon. :

[Question] How is the realtionship between the National Movement and the
Palestinian Resistance?

[Answer] It is a good relationship. There is nothing wrong with it.

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TRAQ
BRITON, OTHERS DETAINED AS POW'S BY KURDISH REBELS
LD201217 London THE TIMES in English 20 Feb 81 p 6
[Hazhir Teimourian report: "Kurds Say Detained Briton is a Prisoner of War"]

[Text] A London spokesman for the Unified Kurdistan Socialist Party yesterday
described Mr Michael Powell, a Briton, and eight other foreigners held by his
party innorth-east Iraq as prisoners of war.

According to the spokesman Mr Powell worked on a water supply project for an army
supply project for an army barracks in the Kurdish Province Sulaimanieh. He and
the others, who are four Indians, three Lebanese and an Egyptian dentist, were
captured in a raid on the area last month by Peshmergah partisans under the command
of Dr Mahmoud Osman, a former deputy to the late General Mustapha Barzani, the
Kurdish leader.

The socialist party's spokesman added that terms for the release of the captured
men had already been sent to the Iraqi authorities, which included the release

of the families of men fighting in the ranks of the Peshmergah.

Judging by past conduct, the captives will be treated kindly. In the past,
Russians, Czechs and Poles have similarly fallen into Kurdish hands and have been
set free after a few weeks’ detention in the Kurds' mountain strongholds.
Certainly Dr Mahmoud Osman, who describes himself as a democratic socialist, was
well liked by many Western journalists who visited him during the Iraqi-Kurdish
war of 1974-75.

His forces have been growing rapidly during the past two years, largely as a
result of defections from the other two Kurdish organizations fighting the govern-
ment of President Saddam Husayn.

These are the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, under the command of Mr Jalal Talabani,
another former deputy to General Barzani, and the Kurdistan Democratic Party led
by General Barzani's sons.

COPYRIGHT: Times Newspaper Limited, 1981

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The voices that were heard were official voices that have international
influence.

Then the mobilization of Syrian troops on the Jordanian borders which
occurred immediately after the Arab summit conference made Syria's
positions and its conduct--especially its military conduct--the subject
of investigation and analysis.

The ruling circles in Syria felt that they must take some action to
guarantee that their forces will remain in Lebanon. This was because the
first reaction they sensed after their recent provocations was a reluc—
tance on the part of the countries that finance the Arab deterrent forces
to continue financing them. The presence of these forces [in Lebanon] was
basically to be temporary and subject to a limited period of time.
Second, this presence did not help Lebanon build its own troops; on the
contrary, it became an obstacle that prevented the creation of Lebanese
forces that would establish security and uphold the legitimate government.

Syrian pressure was first exerted on Lebanon so it would ask for an exten-
sion for the presence of the Syrian deterrent forces on its territory.

Despite the clouds that are gathering in the atmosphere between the two
countries and despite the fact that relations, which it may be said have
been overcoming many "pitfalls" from the obstacles to forming the govern
ment to pressure not to attend the Arab summit in Lebanon--despite all
this and other matters--the Lebanese government did send a request dated
9/1/1981 to the Arab League secretariat general asking for a 6-months
extension for the deterrent forces because of the events and the new
developments that the area was experiencing.

When the Arab League secretariat received Lebanon's request, it notified
the member countries immediately, and especially the countries that
finance the presence of the "Arab" deterrent forces in Lebanon. Chief
among those countries are Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the I'nited Arab
Emirates.

These countries that are "financing" the deterrent forces sent their
response quickly to the secretariat general.

The response of these countries was that they cannot continue footing
the bill for these expenses, whose burden was increasing, in the face of
a situation that by its nature was to be temporary but which seems
clearly now to be an interminable question.

These countries also suggested that the question be presented again to
the [general] assembly of the Arab League so that the assembly can look
into its details and make the decision that it considers appropriate. If
the continued presence of the deterrent forces in Lebanon is decided, the
countries that have been financing [the operation] suggest that [the
operation] be financed by all the members of the League according to

the ratio of their contribution to the League's budget.

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GAS NEGOTIATIONS STALLED--Negotiations between SONATRACH and a Gas of France
delegation, which resumed at the beginning of the last week in December 1980,
are still stalled because both parties are sticking to their previous positions.
Although SONATRACH continues to carry out the contract to supply liquified gas,
even though it only delivered 2.5 billion cubic meters in 1980 instead of

the 4 billion called for in the contract, SONATRACH might reduce the tonnage

7 of crude delivered to the CFP [French Petroleum Company.] Until
31 December 1980, according to a contract signed in 1971 and renewed in 1975,
: the CFP could take between 6 to 12 million tons of crude each year under the

"right to oil," SONATRACH supposedly is willing to renew this contract while
doing away with this right to oil, but reneval depends on reaching an
agreement with Gas of France on the price of liquified gas (See "Marches
Tropicaux et Mediterraneens ," 7 Nov 80, p 2955). Unless such an agreement is
reached, SONATRACH might reduce the volume of crude for the CFP for the rest
of 1981 to 3 million tons.  SONATRACH suspended its contract with the
American company "El Paso" on providing 10 billion cubic meters a year.
Negotiations between the two companies are expected to resume in the next few
days. [Text] [Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS in French 9 Jan 81
p 72] 9479

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ALGERIA

ANALYSIS OF ALGERIA'S AGRICULTURAL PROBLEMS

Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS in French 30 Jan 81
pp 229-230

Lhext7 Agriculture's precarious situation is a subject of serious
concern for Algeria. The measures taken, planned or merely con-
sidered or discussed by the authorities give rise on the part of what
the semi-official reporting calls "business and reactionary circles,”
to systematically tendentious remarks, but which do not fail to have
a certain effect on the public. Some do not hesitate to speek of
"the demolishment of self-management" or even of "the abandonment of
the cooperative system,” and of course “the failure of the agrarian
revolution."

Moreover, certain problems are actually appearing, with the latter
being quite real, such as the dislike of rural youth for agricultural
work; the escape to office jobs of those who have received an agri-
culturally oriented education; and more generally the desertion of
the land. The huge undertaking for the "creation of a new man" by
the agrarian revolution has not yet had, by any means, sufficient
scope and duration for a new modern group of agricultural workers to
develop, equipped socially and technically and intended to be the
basis of a new agriculture. And the enthusiastic improvisation of
rurel self-management continues to give poor results, in spite of
reforms which have already taken place.

The main decisions were taken by the FLN Central Committee during

its session last spring and from now on a number of measures are
beginning to be implemented. A considerable effort, contrasting with
the restraint which formerly often characterized the regime, was car-
ried out in the last several weeks by the authorities to inform pub-
lic opinion energetically and fully. The minister of agriculture
and agrarian reform, Selim Saadi, devotes himself to this task of
popularization vigorously and convincingly. From now on the Algerian
people will be able to realize the scope of the problem.

Selim Saadi mentions "a fact which had never been noticed:" 70 per-
cent of the agricultural population is in the private sector and

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The actions of Walid Junblat stem from [the position of] an inherited Druze
leadership. So that he may be a competent and an effective spokesman, Junblat
is trying to obtain an empowerment from the Palestinians authorizing him to

- engage in a dialogue and to devise the solution that he considers {appropriate]
on the basis of the fact that the Palestinian Resistance influences Lebanese
policy, and particularly the Western region, in one way or another.

‘There are many people, however--and these are observers who do not consider Walid
Junblat's mission to be an easy one--who believe that the Palestinians will not
object to such a dialogue because they do not have much confidence in its outcome.
They have their own evaluations of the Lebanese scene and their own views of

the solutions that deal particularly with their presence. Furthermore, the
Syrians who are present [on the scene] have their own evaluations too.

The Discussion about Decentralization

On its part the Lebanese Front is living in fear of initiating any dialogue with
those it calls the representatives of the other party in the western region.

It is presenting itself as the "savior" of the Lebanese situation and the liberator
of the Lebanese people from "the foreigners." ‘The front believes that the road
to this objective begins with correcting the image of the relationship between
the Muslim and the Christian. ‘This image was shaken during the events. The
front affirms that such a correction can only take place by advocating a meeting
and a dialogue to revive, save and unite Lebanon. Bashir al-Jumayyil lets no
occasion go by without saying that the Christian "is extending a hand to the
Lebanese Muslim" and that Lebanese Muslims "need Christian help to regain their
unity, their freedom and their peace." Lebanon needs everybody to regain its
unity, its independence and its sovereignty. When the commander of the Lebanese
Forces wants to show his concern for the Muslim, he says that the forces of
occupation--he means the Arab and Palestinian deterrent forces--are the ones
that, are causing the Lebanese Muslim to fear the Lebanese Christian. The
Lebanese people, therefore, must be aware of this fact, and they must rely on
thenselves to solve their problems so that a proper Lebanese alliance, which has
been made unattainable by the occupation, can be established. Al-Jumayyil is
asking for a role for the Lebanese Muslim. The Mulsim citizen of Lebanon should
not let the PLO present itself as the sole spokesman for the Muslims after having
presented itself as the sole, legitimate representative of the Palestinians.

Bashir al-Jumayyil proceeds from these stated factors to propose a plan that in
his opinion is considered a likely solution to the Lebanese crisis. This is the
political decentralization plan. Al-Jumayyil says, "It has become clear that
central unity has led to a conflict of powers and responsibilities that contributed
to the eruption of conflicts. We are therefore looking for a decentralized unity
that would define powers and distribute responsibilities and thereby contribute

to the re uction of conflicts." He adds, "It is natural that the decentralization
comprise the affairs that were the subject of dispute under the present centralized
system. These are administrative and police affairs, political positions, personal
status matters and educational programs." He says, "The fact that Lebanon would
adopt a decentralized formula is not required by geography but rather by all

the aspects of the nature of the Lebanese citizen. It springs from this pluralism
that enriches our existence."

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[Question] Do the other parties also find defects in the Defense Bill?
[Answer] In what way?

[Question] It's being said that the powers of the commander of the army were
allocated to the Supreme Council and that the Military Council was named the
confessional council.

{Answer] I heard about this name, but this does not justify taking away the
powers of the military staff.

I Do Not Support the Transfer of the Chamber

[Question] The war in Lebanon has not come to an end. However, politicians are
finding time for waking deals. After the Canadian wheat deal it was said that
Deputy Munir Abu Fadil called for an investigation into the reasons why the new
Chamber of Deputies building was not built. What do you think about that?

[Answer] Scandals are flourishing of course. The former cabinet has given much
evidence of that. [Its term of office] was a chapter that was full of scandals.
Some of its key figures have returned to the present cabinet. But the Chamber of
Deputies is another matter. Regarding the new building, I was basically opposed
to the idea of moving the old location.

[Question] why?
[Answer] Because the old building is a great symbol. It is a symbol of history
and independence; ultimately, it is a symbol of Lebanon. Why soulld we build
a new building when the commissions for every requisition are known? At any
rate the legislative authority does have many privileges. The deputies must
be changed, and new elections must be held regardless of the cost.
{Question] Who would supervise the elections?
[Answer] The new elections would bring to the parliamentary chamber the real
forces that can achieve an accord or a non-accord. The period that we are

- living in is very dangerous. Representatives of the people who have no

relationship to the people should not be in the Chamber. This is illogical and
illegal.

[Question] Constitutionally, do they not represent the people?

[Answer] No, No! this is not possible. The Chamber reconstitutes itself and
derives its power from itself. It does not represent the people at all.

[Question] It is being said that there is e precedent [for that] in Britain
because of the exigencies of war.

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INTER-ARAB AFFAIRS

BRIEFS

MOROCCAN-ALGERIAN CONTACTS--Rumors persist that the Moroccans and Algerians
have had direct contacts about Western Sahara. The "long and cordial" hand-
shake and some remarks exchanged in Mecca between King Hassan II and President
Bendjedid would have given them substence, if Algiers had not immediately
described them as a gesture of courtesy. The categorical denials by King
Hassan II, in an interview with the German magazine "Der Spiegel," and of the
Algerian minister of foreign affairs, Mr Mohamed Benyahia, who also denied the
renewal of diplomatic relations between Morocco and Algeria, lead us at most
to think that, indeed, as Mr Raymond Barre stated in a press conference at
Rabat, "a certain evolution has taken place between Morocco and Algeria,"

but nothing more. [Text] [Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS i
French 30 Jan 81 p 240] 9479

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companies of the two countries.

Biannual meetings will be held in each of the capitals to encourage a flow of
meteorological information.

Beyond the purely technical aspect of tue talks, the political intent shown
by the two parties stands out, emphasized ALGERIA PRESS SERVICE, adding that
going beyond the transportation field and their initial mission, the

Tranians and Algerians decided to set up cultural centers in the two countries
and cooperate on media matters.

COPYRIGHT: Rene Moreux et Cie Paris 1981

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TRAN

RESULTS OF 2 YEARS OF REVOLUTION REVIEWED
London 8 DAYS in English 14 Feb 81 pp 7,8,10,13
[Article by Tim McGirk: "Year 3-~Building the Islamic Revolution"]

[Text] It was perhaps fitting that the release of the

52 hostages should usher in the third year of Iran's
Islamic revolution. The taking of the hostages was a
symbol of Iran's rejection of everything that went with
the years spent under the twin shadows of Reza Pahlavi and
"Great Satan.' But the length of time they were held is a
reflection of the country's very real and present dilemma:
the power struggle between the 'westernised' and ‘clerical’
factions. The outcome of this power play will determine
the way Iran changes--or disdains to change--in the third
year of its revolution. In concluding his analysis of Iran
at the crossroads, Tim McGirk detects signs of a 'new
pragmatism’ inside Tehran.

BY i] FEBRUARY 1979, it was all over.
The imperial army had surrendered, the
Shah had been chased into exile, and the
frail octogenarian who inspired it all,
Ayatollah Khomeini, had declared a new
Islamic republic in Iran. With the possible
exception of the Carter administration,
nobody was mor eed of
the Shah's fall than his own Lilliputian
subjects.

After the Mossadegh coup in 1953,
Iranians believed that the Peacock Throne
stood granite-solid, as unshakeable as the
Elburz mountains that shadow Tehran.

Now the Pahlavis are gone, and so are the
52 American hostages, whose 14-month
captivity isolated Iran and frightened away
useful trading partners. In many ways, the
third year of the Iranian revolution may be
the most crucial yet. Iran is snared in a
costly five-month battle with neighbouring
Iraq, and within its own government, two
often-colliding ideologies are engaged in a

deadly tug-of-war.
The clerical fundamentalists, who rule
the Majlis and the legal courts, and hold the
top cabinet portfolios, have rejected
western technology and seem determined
to impose on Iran a ‘Quranic’
self-sufficiency, brutally if necessary.
‘Neither East nor West’ is the slogan of the
fundamentalist Islamic Republican Party.
The moderates on the other side, led by
secular President Abol Hassan Bani Sadr,
also recognise that under the Shah Iran's
over-heated economy had become
dangerously reliant on the United States,
Europe and Japan. However, while Bani
Sadr’s followers want to scale down outside
trade, they also realise that for several more
decades, Iran's survival depends on the
exchange of one commodity — oil — for
others that for the most part this barren
country, criss-crossed by mountains and
bleak desert, cannot grow or make itself.
The Tehran newspaper Azadagan

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This commission has the power, if necessary, to suspend any central committee
member who does not fulfill his duties as a militant.

The central committee also approved two resolutions on the nation's energy
and health policy. The first restated Algeria's determination to align its
natural gas and petroleum prices and called for a regular review of hydro-
carbon exports in the medium and long-term, to reduce them progressively.

A “higher institute of energy to implement energy policy based henceforth on
preserving petroleum deposits, raising te price of natural gas and using
alternative sources" will be created.

Several measures were advocated to improve the relatively neglected health
sector. The principle of free medical care was solemly restated by the
central committee which recommended drafting a statute on the medical corps,
raising wages, reorganizing the central pharmacy, etc.

"Liberalization" of medicine, to allow private practices, apparently was
rejected by supporters of public medicine; in Algeria, it has been free for
the past 6 years.

COPYRIGHT: Rene Moreux et Cie Paris 1981.

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established balanced relations with a number of Sunni and Shi'ite Islami- leaders
and personalities as well as with officials in Beirut and Damascus. His position
as a spokesman would be strengthened by his moderation in basic positions and his
flexibility in dealing with numerous questions that are the subject of dispute
among the Lebanese themselves and between the Lebanese and the Palestinians. He
accepts no alternative to the legitimate government, but at the same time he

asks the Palestinians to abide by the Cairo Agreement and to return to the camps.
- Among the residents of al-Jubayl, most of whom are Druzes and Maronites, Junblat

does not forget to press the Lebanese formula of coexistence.

AL-WATAN AL-'ARABI met the president of the National Movement and asked him about
his opinion of the new Lebanese and Arab developments. We asked him about the
ranges of the appeal he had made and about his view of the features of the coming
stage following the limited confidence vote that was given in the Chamber of
Deputies to the cabinet of Attorney Shafiq al-Wazzan.

The interview was at 12 o'clock noon in Junblat's house in al-Musaytibah. A

group of men was scattered to guard the entrance [to the str et] and the neighboring
Streets. Junblat was on the second floor [of the house], wearing his black

leather jacket and his blue jeans; his eyeglasses were hanging from the buttonhole
of his shirt. The furniture in the room was simple, just as the late father of

the family had left it. Pictures of Kamal Junblat, depicting stages of his life,
were hanging everywhere on the walls.

We spoke in somewhat of a hurry about everything: the covenant, the dialogue,
the army, the South, al-Damur, the Iraqi-Iranian war and a few international
questions. The text of the interview follows.

[Question] It's been 5 years since the war began. How do you see the future of
- Lebanon?

[Answer] At the present time it is difficult to forecast the future of Lebanon.
: The reasons for the crisis still exist. This is a premature question.

First, a Political Agreement

[Question] Following the recent clashes that occurred among some groups of the
- National Movement, how can matters be arranged in such a manner that would
forestall these clashes in the future?

[Answer] What happened is not a permanent situation. The clash occurred after

the death of two prominent leaders, who are Bashir 'Ubayd and Kamal Khayr Bey.
Their death was the result of the death of al-Haj Munir Fathah. At any rate, there
is an idea that may achieve a tighter organizational formula with which we can

take steps to avoid [the situation of] resorting to weapons and the deterioration
we have reached. The new organizational formula is being discussed, but before

it is approved, an agreement must be reached on basic political principles.

[Question] Are there early signs of an agreement over this formula?

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JPRS L/9596

11 March 1981

Near East/North Africa Report

- FBIS

(FOUO 10/81)

FOREIGN BROADCAST INFORMATION SERVICE

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TUNISIA

- FRENCH-TUNISIAN IMPORTS, EXPORTS VIA PORT OF ROUEN EXAMINED
Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS in French 6 Feb 81 p 301

[Text] Maritime relations with Tunisia are part of the traditional activities of
Profound importance to the port of Rouen. Trade wich that country is substantial
in volume and places Tunisia among the top 20 of the 100 countries with which the
port of Rouen has regular relations.

At a time when the trend is toward increasingly organized and diversified traffic,
the situation in Tunisia must be reviewed. For that reason, a delegation headed by
Henry de Rochebouet and Claude Mandray, respectively president and general director
of the Autonomous Port of Rouen, visited Tunis on 29 and 30 January. The delega-
tion was made up of a dozen persons representing the Autonomous Port as well as the
Rouen Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Rouen shipping enterprises involved in
French-Tunisian trading. An information meeting attended by over 100 persons from
Tunisian transit and foreign trade circles was held on 29 January at the Hilton
Hotel in Tunis, while on 30 January, the delegation was received by Sadock Ben
Jomaa, Tunisian minister of transport and communications, and made contacts in the
maritime, port and commercial fields.

On the whole, traffic between Rouen and Tunisian ports amounts to 200,000 tons a
year. It is generally greater from Rouen to Tunisia than in the opposite direction
because of the large tonnages of grain exported certain years.

Imports from Tunisia are made up of unprocessed phosphates from Sfax and substantial
- amounts of fertilizer (up to 34,000 tons in 1978). Fertilizer imports should in-
crease as a result of the planned installation, on the Saint-Wandrille pier, of a
packing and distribution unit belonging to the Commercial Fertilizer Company,
which plans to obtain its supplies from Tunisia. The rest of the import traffic
is unfortunately insignificant. Only wine, which enjoys the services of a store-
house in Rouen that is among the most efficient in Europe, has an important tonnage.

Exports going to Tunisia are quite diversified, although dominated by the large
grain shipments (70,000 to 80,000 tons in the best years), while sugar has also
had high volumes at times (32,000 tons in 1979).

Alongside these two main categories justifying the tramp traffic are other types of
goods carried by regular lines connecting the port of Rouen with Tunisia. These

\ goods essentially include lubricants, chemical products, metals, machinery and
vehicles.

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ive agricultural engineers and teachers basic ideas of management
faccounting, production systems, drawing up development and recovery
plans) neglected too much until now for the benefit of technical
Specialization. Thus the egricultural farm will be able to really
manage itself, while in actual practice, in spite of claims to self-
management, management actually is handled by outside finance organi-
zations,

Alongside of this, the quality of the "human potential” will have to
be improved; it will involve first of all rejuvenating rural labor.
At the present time, 70 percent of the workers in the self-managed
sector are more than 50 years old; 30 to 40 percent continue to work
past the retirement age. The minister declares, beginning in 1981,
the farms will receive several thousand young people who have had
suitable training. On the other hand, the advances made by produc—
tion in these new "viable" operations, will make it possible through
the distribution of regular bonuses, to improve wages, which now are
poor, on the whole,

Housing and Self-construction

If, in the self-managed sector as elsewhere, an effort must be made
for housing, a special case appears there whose solution has only
been put off too long. The accommodations of the settlers and the
operating personnel of not long ago have been occupied after inde-
pendence not only by farm workers continuing to work on the property,
but also by a number of persons, who were and remained completely
unconnected with it. Thus we can mention a self-managed property
which has 1,300 dwellings, of which 480 are now occupied by "para-
sit-s," who not only do no work on this property, but consume water
and .lectricity at its expense and, moreover, have for the most part
jobs or income which should allow them to house themselves at their
own expense. Welfare measures are envisaged for those tenants who
are really needy, but an effort is being made from now on to recover
the largest part of these misappropriated lodgings and to assign them
to genuine agricultural workers.

In a general way, the rural habitat will enjoy priority. In this
matter the minister thinks the UNPA {National Union of Algerian
Peasants/ should play an important role of encouragement.

Self-construction should be promoted, however, it will only be a
genuine solution to the extent where a suitable supply of materials
will allow avoiding the threatening demands of the parallel market:
at the present time, brick sells at 4 dinars or about Fr 5, and a
bag of cement at 34 dinars or more than Fr 40, The CAPCS /Communal
Multi-Service Agricultural Cooperative/ orgenizations should, under
the circumstances, play a decisive role in supplying small projects

- cheaply: if that can be achieved, the peasant will not have any more
need for building, other than modest state financial aid.

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includes 95 percent of the small peasants; but this private agri-
cultural group only holds 20 percent of the real agricultural poten-
tial, while the self manegement sector holds about 70 percent,
although it is only 15 percent of the rural population.

From such a finding, it is logical to conclude that without neglect-

ing at ail the huge undertaking of the agrarian revolution, it is

advisable to concern ourselves urgently with two essential tasks:

to finally contribute to the small peasants deprived of better pro-
. duction facilities, and again put self-management in order so its

great fundamental potentialities may produce a satisfactory return.

A Self-management Which is Finally Profitable

The self-managed areas should be transformed into homogenous units,
which are economically viable. Saadi says that will be "the priority
of priorities” and it does not mean either parcelling out or crum-
bling.

When the exodus of French settlers suddenly put the Algerian author—
ities in possession of 23,000 farms, a solution was improvised; these
lands were regrouped, after a fashion, into 2,000 properties, whose
operation was entrusted to agricultural workers hastily trained by a
few technicians.

This was self-management: an urgent measure, but so in conformity
with revolutionary ideology that it was characterized in itself and
at first as a socialist victory, while its concrete results remain,
as one could have expected, very spotty. The restorations which
were soon attempted were jeopardized, both by the lack of qualified
administrative personnel and by the difficulties of getting managers
and accountants accepted by the peasants attached to their role of

7 self-managers: the nature of the properties, which most often were
too large and made up of farms which were sometimes fairly distant
from each other, on the other hand, was a formidable obstacle to
every rehabilitation.

The main decision taken last year by the FLN Central Committee and
which is a fact, consists of the conversion of 2,000 self-managed
properties into more than 4,000 divided-up farms. These new farms
will be of such a size and shape that the efficient use of modern
mechanical equipment will be easy there and their management could
be systematic and profitable.

Since this fall, 400 agricultural engineers have been on the spot
to effect this reorganization, which will last throughout 1981.
Alongside this, 750 clerk accountants are being trained per year
who will be distributed among the new units. In addition, the

El Biar Technological Institute of Pedogogical Agricultural Applica-
tion has just inaugurated a series of 4 month courses which will

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MOROCCO

CITRUS EXPORTS SURPASS EXPECTATIONS
Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS in French 6 Feb 81 p 302

[Text] Early Moroccan citrus export figures put out in mid-January surpass the
most optimistic expectations published on the eve of the 1980-1981 harvest, which
as we recall follows a 1979-1980 record harvest (MIM of 24 Ictober 1980 p 2608 and
31 October 1980 p 2669). In fact, after the 14 January meeting of the executive
committee of ASPAM (Association of Citrus Growers of Morocco), it was stated that
as of 18 January exports stood at: 196,764 tons of clementines, 123,327 tons of
navels, 8,209 tons of hamelines and 3,053 tons of salustianas. At that time, ex-
port stocks stood at 4,000 tons of clementines and 26,000 tons of navels. Thus an
absolute record of around 200,000 tons of clementine exports should be set. This
record confirms the trend toward increasing clementine production noted in recent
years. Such an augmentation, in the opinion of the ASPAM executive committee, re~
quires the trade to take a fresh look at the strategy for organizing and marketing
this variety. Thus the committee, after discussing it, opted to establish a new
chain of refrigeration units, totally integrated into the business, in the main
clementine production areas, particularly Souse and Berkane. This chain would be
for the purpose of preserving a part of the harvest from climatic vagaries affecting
the variety. Also, the committee deemed it essential to develop an a "de-greening"
infrastructure, especially at Berkane, a region known for the early ripening of its
clementines. These two new elements of a new strategy for organizing the clementine
season were submitted by the ASPAM directorate for discussion at the meeting held
the same day in Casablanca of the CPA (Permanent Citrus Committee) which brings
together representatives of OCE (Office of Marketing and Exports) and producers.
Two committees were designated to carry out the technical study of these proposals.
It was also indicated that the frost which hit the Beni Mellal region early this
year may have damaged nearly 15,000 tons of citrus (clementines and particularly
navels). By mutual agreement, all the Moroccan citrus growers have decided the
fruit affected would not be exported, in order to protect the quality of the
"Morocco" label, The fruit has therefore been assigned to the juice factories and
the possibility of giving the stricken citrus-growers a compensatory indemnity is
being currently examined,

COPYRIGHT: Rene Moreux et Cie Paris 1981

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1. Matters are to be settled in the area of al-Shuf by putting an end to all
kinds of sectarian activity in a manner that would encourage the Christian
residents of the area to return to their homes and their villages and to live
beside their brothers, the Druzes.

2. Walid Junblat is to be considered responsible for protecting the Christians
of the area, and a pledge to that effect is to be made. In return, he is to
have a free hand in managing the affairs and the policies of the area.

3. This agreement is to be the starting point for looking into starting a
dialogue between the Druzes and the Maronites to determine the role and the
position of each [party] in finding a new formula for Lebanon.

It has not yet become clear whether or not direct meetings had taken place

between Junblat and representatives of the Lebanese Front. However, the general

developments in the Druze situation suggest that these meetings are no longer a
. plan for a dialogue and that they have reached a much more advanced stage.

The Druze organizations that concern themselves with research and development--
and these include the representatives of the sect in the government, Marawan
Hamadah, Khalid Junblat and Sami Yunis--held closed meetings to study the
affairs and the positions of the sect under the present circumstances, They
published a study on the subject and submitted it to the representatives and the
figures of the sect, and they presented it to both Commander Majid Arsalan and
Mr Walid Junblat.

What Do The Druzes Want?

The essence of the study is that "The basic problem that has continued to upset
and erode the entity of Lebanon lies in the tradition that has hitherto been
followed. This is the tradition of allocating lesderships and comman?s to
specific sects. This tradition has created the feeling of injustice and
deprivation and led us to the fragmentation and the divisiveness that is almost
tearing us apart. It is therefore necessary that we find an alternative to this
situation. It is our opinion that the position and the prestige of the presidency
are such that we must liberate it from any narrow affiliation and accordingly
from any subordination. The president should be elected directly by the people.
His loyalty should be to the people only, and he should be free from the
parliamentary maneuvers and from any trusteeship imposed on him. If the elected
president is a member of one of the Christian sects, then the prime minister
should be a member of one of the Muslim sects, and the opposite is true. The
president's term should be 4 years and may be renewed once. In this case a prime
minister is elected by a majority vote of the members of the Chamber of Deputies.
The leadership position in the Chamber of Deputies remains open."

These organizations present a number of the Druzes' demands in case the situation
remains unchanged regarding the allocation of the leadership positions. These
demands are: the Druzes insist that one of the primary positions of leadership
he given to a Druze. This is because ever since the Lebanese entity became
known in history, the Druzes in Lebanon have constituted a basic pillar [of
Lebanon]. The Druzes will not accept a situation in which their position in
Lebanon would be like that of an intruder.

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Two services currently provide the maritime connection between Rouen and Tunisia.
They are the Tunisian Shipping Company, Tunisia's national fleet, whose newer
vessels: the "Tozeur," the "El-Jem" and the "Kairouan," are well-known to the
people of Rouen, and the French shipping company Marseille Charter. Both of the
fleets have monthly schedules,

The great innovation seen in recent weeks in the Rouen-Tunisia connection is the
introduction of containerization early in 1981. The port of Rouen, whose con-
tainerized traffic, expressed in standard 20-foot units, came close to 100,000
"boxes" last year, is obviously very happy to offer French-Tunisian trade the

- important experienced it has acquired in the field. Rouen is in fact the recog-
nized specialist in container traffic applied to North and West Africa and the
Indian Ocean. Application of this new technique to the Tunisia line could not
find better support than from the port of Rouen.

Rouen-Tunisia Traffic (in tons)

- 1976 1977 1978 1979-1980
Imports 83,000 64,000 75,000 73,000 27,000
Including:
Phosphates and fertilizers 79,000 62,000 72,000 70,000 26,000
Other goods 4,000 2,000 3,000 3,000 1,000
Exports 101,000 49,000 155,000 127,000 71,000
Including:
Grain and sugar 85,000 29,000 86,000, 103,000 50,000
Other goods 16,000 19,000 69,0004 24,000 21,000
- Total 184,000 113,000 230,000 200,000 98,000

1 In 1978, a special shipment of nearly 50,000 tons of alfalfa

COPYRIGHT: Rene Moreux et Cie, Paris, 1981

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[Answer] There is no similarity on the democratic scene between Lebanon and
Britain. The difference is tremendous. Ultimately, we must have elections
because in the final analysis it is this chamber that elects a new president.
How can a chamber that bears no relationship to the people elect a president?
The chamber today is spurious, and this spurious quality will be transferred to
the presidency.

[Question] Does this chamber have the power to elect a new president?

[Answer] Certainly. It certainly has that power as long as it exists, unfor—
tunately, and it is a legal miracle that it is still existing. Atay rate all
the Lebanese activists from the right and from the left have to agree on changing
it so we can give it the value of representing the Lebanese people.

Iraq's Rights Are Legitimate
[Question] What do you think about the new government?

[Answer] A cabinet was formed that includes nationalist figures of a high
moral and educational standing. There are, however, small gaps: some areas,
for instance, have been deprived of representation, whereas other areas were
quite well represented. The area of Zahlah, for example, is represented by
three ministers. Representation could have been distributed over other areas.

[Question] What about the Shi'ite complex?

[Answer] My comment on this subject is as follows: despite my appreciation of
and my understanding for the demands that the Amal Movement has made, the outcome
that is being sought by those who are responsible for the party has yielded
negative results. Lt has strengthened some of the centers of political feudalism
in the South. If this is what is required, I regret that we reached this
negative result.

Before the interview ended, I asked him about his opinion on the Iraqi-{franian
war. He said, "I support a political settlement between the two countries

- because the war is depleting their powers. I do respect Iraq's legitimate rights
in Shatt al-'Arab and the pan-Arab rithts in the Gulf."

Situation in Lebanon Explosive

Paris AL-WATAN AL~'ARABI in Arabic 2-8 Jan 81 pp 22-23
[text] Circles close to al-Kaslik (The University of the Holy Spirit in
Juniyah) are speaking about meetings that were held in Paris 3 months ago between
Mr Walid Junblat and Abbot Butrus Qazi (on behalf of the Lebanese Front group).
These meetings were tantamount to the dialogue that may take place between the
Socialist Progressive Party and the Lebanese Forces.

These circles go so far as to identify three principal ideas that Abbot Qazi
suggested for starting the dialogue. These ideas are as follows:

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ALGERIA

FLN SEEN REASSERTING ITSELF IN POLITICAL LIFE
Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS in French 9 Jan 81 p 72

[Text] The FLN, the single party in power in Algeria, is reasserting itself
in the country's political life after several years of relative eclipse.
Observers drew this conclusion from the FLN Central Committee meeting held in
Algiers from 29 to 31 December 1980,

The AFP [FRENCH PRESS AGENCY] dispatch noted that its proceedings were not
marked by any spectacular change, but at the end of its last ordinary session,
the Central Committee was strengthened in its role as the supreme political
body in the country, since the eclipse, 6 months ago, of the poiitical bureau.
Its two figureheads, Messrs Abdelaziz Bouteflika and Mohamed Salah Yahiaoui,
have almost disappeared from the political scene.

The FLN's process of regaining control over political life was illustrated,
4 according to observers, by the central committee's decision to enforce,
- as of 1 January 1981, article 120 of the FLN code that only party militants
could hold positions of responsibility in mass organizations (peasants,
unions, youth, women and the moudjahidine.)

This measure could lead to the eventual departure of some elected officials

- who do not fulfill the criteria of the party statutes. According to
observers, politically it would prevent infiltration of these organizations
by individuals whose ideas differ from the official ideology. The most
obvious example, according to their adversaries, is that of the partisans of
the clandestine communist party, the PAGC [Socialist Vanguard Party] who have
been infiltrating for several years,

Locally and regionally, to reassert FIN authority and influence, the party
federation secretaries will be given pre-eminence in each of the 31 wilaya
(departments), and will preside over "a coordinating council" made up of
the army sector commander and the chairman of the people's assembly in the
wilaya (regional council.)

Moreover, during its session, the central committee elected a central

commission for discipline according to the code; it will be personally
chaired by the head of state, Mr Chadli Bendjedid, the FLN secretary general.

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In an interview with the New York Times,
former US ambassador to Saudi Arabia
James Akins argued that a renewal of
relations with Iran would ‘alienate all the
‘Arab nations’. He said: “There would
certainly be a backlash in Iraq and in the
entire Arabian Peninsula, including Saudi
Arabia. They've assumed for a long time
that the United States would behave
rationally, would base its Middle East
policy on’its own interests, and break away
from the exclusive Israel-Iran alliance. If we
cozy up toan Iranian regime that is viciously
hostile to the Arabs —- namely, the mullahs
— those assumptions may change rapidly.
The Arabs could well conclude that the
United States was hopelessly committed to
their enemies.”

is as sharply di
Persians are about restoring valuable trade
links with the US. Political scientist
Professor Amos Perlmutter argues that
Washington should move for immediate
cooperation with Iran. ‘Iran's political and
territorial integrity is vastly more important
than our quarrels with any specific regime,’
he claims. ‘That means we must sit with
whatever regime is in power in Tehran. We
should draw distinctions between the
regime, which we detest, and the territory
itself. In that respect, we have to isolate the
mullahs somewhat and assist’ moderate
forces that may eventually replace them.
Until then, potential dismemberment of
Iran constitutes the greatest single political,
military and economic threat that America
faces today.”

Whatever stiff policy the Reagan
administration adopts on Iran, American
traders. will search long and hard for
loopholes. Iran's import bill, a whopping
$18bn during the last year of the Shah's
reign, may have dipped to $11bn, but the
country still remains one of the most
lucrative business markets in the Middle
Fast

Aga result, Iran can afford to be choosy,
Deputy premier Behvad Nabavi, the
fundamentalist. who negotiated the
hostages release and who now acts as
government troubleshooter, explained that
the current regime aims at ‘getting the
economy going again without increasing
Iran's dependence’ avi, a former
cell-mnate of Premier Mohammed Ali Rajai

4920

18

during the Shah's rule, indicated that in the
third year of Iran's revolution, successful
foreign bidders will be those who pare down
imports of equipment and manpower to a
bare minimum. Contracts that include
Tranian jobs will have top priority.

So far, the Khomeini regime has been
unable to stop ru unemployment. For
the second year running, Iran has the
‘problem’ of not being able to spend
development money fast enough; the slow
progress of a bank investment scheme has
stalled the allotment of funds for
labour-intensive construction and
agricultural reform. Iran's government
allocated $10.3bn for development for the
year to April, but spending so far amounts
to only $4.6bn, according to official central
bank figures. Meanwhile, work on 1,000
semi-finished construction sites and
half-built factories remains idle until the
other $5.7bn clears government red tape.

In contract bidding, non-aligned and
socialist firms, judging by Tehran's
statistics, will have an edge over western
suppliers. Since the revolution, Iran's trade
with the Eastern bloc has doubled to
$1.4bn, though the western economic
boycott may partly explain this increase.

They agree on little else, but Premier
Rajai and his rival, President Bani Sadr, at
feast concur on the subject of restrictions
for foreign trade. The Iranian government
acted io control ‘imported’ inflation by
nationalising all trade compani

‘over half of these companies are now in
government hands, and a bill for more
across-the-board i

Iran, Strict government control of oversezts,
trade is vigorously opposed by the bazaar
merchants, whose anti-Shah food strikes
helped topple the monarchy. The current
rogime feels the bazaaris must be curbed
their over-pricing and black marketeering
has fuelled Iran’s inflation — but Tehran is
concerned that a withdrawal of the
merchants’ crucial support for the mullahs
might lead to a government collapse.

Trapped in a Jengthy war with Iraq, and
shaken by a potentially explosive
government crisis, Iran remains a strictly
enter-at-your-risk territory for western
businessmen. But the risk may well be
worth it,

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"Tt has to increase the number of troops as determined by military
opinion.

"It has to expand the power of these troops and give them the ability to
carry out the military orders and instructions they have or to carry out
what they consider militarily necessary to accomplish the specific
objective."

It would seem after all this that the Syrian deterrent forces have
entered into a bottleneck situation.

But their destiny from now and until the next 6 months is up in the air.
COPYRIGHT: 1979° AL-WATAN AL-ARABL

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MAURITANIA

OPPOSITION TO NEW CONSTITUTION APPEARING
Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS in French 16 Jan 81 pp 133, 134

[Text] There has been intense political activity for several days in Mauritania,
where the cores of future political parties are starting to form. The draft con~
stitution published on 17 December, intended to make the country a parliamentary
Islamic republic, actually provides for a multiparty system (See MARCHES TROPICAUX
ET MEDITERRANEENS of 2 January, p. 22).

It will be noted that the cores of future parties are modeled on Mauritanian society,
being based on clans, tribes and ethnic groups and more rarely on ideological simi-
larities. Informed circles, however, allege that the Military Committee for National
Salvation (CMSN), which has governed Mauritania since the overthrow of Mr Moktar

Ould Daddah's government in July 1978, and the civilian government installed on

15 December intend to legally ban the establishment of parties on such bases.

For the time being, the authorities have not set an exact date for holding the con-
stitutional referendum and for the elections. Despite this delay, there is no one
who doubts the CMSN's intention to turn the government over to civilians, although
the reasons for that decision are subject to conflicting interpretations.

According to government circles, the military authorities thus intend to keep the
promise which they made in 1978 to retura to their barracks as soon as they restored
peace in the country and straightened out the economy.

Other sources maintain that the military government wanted to avoid the erosion of
power, especially since its contacts with civilians have proved difficult and since
it is not yet apparent that the economy has been put back on its feet, despite un-
deniable progress made toward greater budgetary and accounting strictness.

Some observers, without having any definite proof however, in turn explain the return
to a civilian government as a result of the differences between the CMSN's various
factions and wonder about the significance of the 20-day vacation currently being
taken by the chief of state, Lieutenant Colonel Haidalla.

Whatever the case, the proposed amendments to the draft constitution, which have
been submitted to a government commission, are encountering some opposition.

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[Question] What about the south? What is the National Movement doing to protect
the residents of South Lebanon from the daily shelling and from ‘+2 agony of
homelessness?

~ [Answer] South Lebanon is the subject of an international dispute. It is an
Arab-Israeli dispute and not a local dispute. The damages, of course, are
tremendous, but the forced evacuation of residents is not the result of the
Presence of Palestinians or the National Movement. It is the result of the
shelling by Sa'd Haddad who is backed by Israel.

[Question] But Israel will continue to shell the area. Why aren't places of
refuge being built to protect civilians?

[Answer] The South is part of a whole. As I said it is an Arab responsibility.

[Question] Is there in fact a plan to bring back the residents of al-Damur
to their town?

[Answer] The subject of al-Damur is part of the subject of the evacuees. Al-
Khiyam, for example, al-Nab'ah and al-Dakunah have been evacuated, and there are
many reasons for this. Al-Damur, however, is a very important matter because not
all the Christians of al-Damur are separatists. The major error that we committed
was the wholesale forced evacuation, the theft and the plunder we carried out;

we made people homeless. This was a grievous error that must be remedied today
not only by bringing back the nationalists to the town, but also by unconditionally
bringing back all the residents of al-Damur to the town. A Lebanese citizen who
owns a house in al-Damur, al-Dakunah or al-Karantinah has the right to return

to his property. How can a Lebanese citizen be deprived of his property? The
problems of the Palestinians in al-Damur must be solved through an agreement with
the PLO in a manner that would preserve the minimum of an honorable life for the
Palestinians. The Palestinian may object to going to al-Bisariyah, and I can
understand that objection, but we can help him find other areas that are closer
than al-Bisariyah.

[Question] Is there an alternative plan?

{Answer] We want to offer an alternative solution. We shall see. But this,

as I said before, would take place through coordination with the PLO, the
Lebanese government and the parties that are on the scene.

[Question] How would you comment on Ronald Reagan being in the White House?
[Answer] First, what do I have to do with the U.S. elections? The U.S. policy
continues on its well-known course. Some details may change, but at the present
time L see no changes.

Who Takes Notice of Lebanon?

- [Question] A solution in Jordan is being discussed. Will this help keep
partition away from Lebanon?

2h

RAR ARRTCTAT TIGR ANTV

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LEBANON

Walid Junblat Discusses Possible Solutions to Lebanon's Crisis
(AL-WATAN AL-'ARABI, 2-8 Jan 81) ..ccccecsccecccceseeeseee

Junblat's New Formula
- Situation in Lebanon Explosive

Renewal of Mandate of Arab Deterreni Forces Discussed
(AL-WATAN AL-'ARABI, 23-29 Jan 61) scsecsccceseceeseeeers

MAURITANIA

Opposition to New Constitution Appearing
(MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS, 16 Jan 81) .s.eceeee

Briefs
French-Mauritanian Signaling Agreement
PRC Cooperation Agreement
Libyan Aid to Fishing Company
Steel Mill, Guelb Project
Iraqi Delegation's Offers

MOROCCO

Citrus Exports Surpass Expectations
(MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS, 6 Feb 81) .sseseeees

Briefs
Tunisian-Moroccan Projects
Fishing Negotiations

SYRIA

Jewish Leader Urges al-Asad on Buigration
(THE TIMES, 20 Feb 81) sesceeseeceeeeecscscnetsenereeeeees

TUNISIA

French-Tunisian Imports, Exports Via Port of Rouen Examined
(MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS, 6 Feb 81)..eeeeseeee

Briefs
Economic Situation

Chemical Industry
Social Equality

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"Some time ago, His Excellency the president gave his approval for 12 girls
to leave for the United States, They went there and were all married. That
is why the girls who are 25 are always asking the authorities, and especially
the president, to open the door for them so that they can find a better
future.

“We hope your visit will be of help to us. I would like to thank the
president for all he has done for us as a community, and for the whole
country. We do not complain about anything except this problem, But deeds
are not evaluated until they have been completed, and we are demanding that
these girls be given a good future,

The Syrian Government is well aware of the political implications of any

request for Jewish emigration, Mr Ahmad Iskander Amhad, the Syrian minister

of information, insisted in an interview with THE TIMES that all government
restrictions on Jews--including the special religious denomination section

for Jews on Syrian identity cards--had been cancelled more than two years

ago.

It.was true, he said, that there was a financial bond Jews had to pay to

the government if they wanted to travel abroad, but every Syrian citizen pays this,
whatever his religion. The bond applies to me, too.

COPYRIGHT: Times Newspapers Limited, 1981

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MOROCCO

BRIEFS

TUNISIAN-MOROCCAN PROJECTS--Mr Mansour Moalla, Tunisian minister for planning and
finance, made an official visit to Morocco 28-30 January, accompanied by an impor~
tant delegation which included in particular the directors of customs, duties, ar!
planning. Mr Moalla, who came with the Moroccan officials to inspect progress in
various joint projects and possibilities of extending bilateral cooperation, had
talks with Mr Abdelkamel Rerhaye, minister of finan-e, and Azeddine Guessous, minis-
ter of commerce, industry, merchant marine and fishing, among others (see MIM of

2 January, p 18). Concerning industry, the joint projects decided upon at the time
of the recent official visit of the Moroccan prime minister, Mr Maati Bouabid, to
Tunis-~projects concerned with machinery, textiles, and chemistry-~are being inte-
grated into the 5-year plans which both Morocco and Tunisia are developing, and
will be carried out by joint Tunisian-Moroccan companies. Concerning trade, pros-
pects for bilateral trade have been reviewed in light of the trade and tariff con-
vention signed by the two countries last December. Special attention was also given
to Tunisia's and Morocco's relations with the EEC, particularly in light of the
second enlargement of the European Community. Discussions on this question showed
Moroccan and Tunisian views to be identical. Thus the two sides opted for creation
of a joint working group to coordinate initiatives with the European Community.
This working group will reinforce the coordination carried out by the Moroccan and
Tunisian ambassadors to the Community. [Text] [Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITER-
RANEENS in French 6 Feb 81 p 302] 9516

FISHING NEGOTIATIONS-~Continuing negotiations with Spain. Once more the Moroccan-
Spanish fishing agreement has expired without the two countries reaching an under-
standing on the terms of a long-range agreement that would end the practice of tem-
porary agreements. The one which just expired on 31 January had already been ex~
tended by 3 months at the end of March, then by 6 more months at the end of June
(see in particular MIM of 11 July 1980, p 1735 and 26 September 1980 p 2350). The
negotiations, which were begun in Rabat on 23 January under the chairmanship of the
Moroccan secretary of state for cooperation, Mr Abdelhaq Tazi, and the Spanish secre~
tary of state for foreign affairs, Mr Carols Robles Piquer, and which resumed on
29 January after being suspended on 25 January, did not yield results. The Spanish
delegation left Morocco for Madrid on 1 February, with negotiations to resume in
the near future. Meanwhile, the some 1,200 Spanish trawlers which were fishing in
Moroccan waters have gone back to their home port in the Canaries. [Text] [Paris
MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS in French 6 Feb 81 p 302] 9516

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private owners, which have remained very minimal, but because of
survey revisions which have led to changes in now very precise esti-
mates.

The third stage of the RA which involves steppe and desert areas,
will only be considered again, after the final conclusion of the

first and second stage, for it viil require all the available "human
potential.” Censuses, prospecting, collection of data will begin in

1981 and we can expect a beginning of implementation in 1982, it
everything goes well.

A special institution will cencentrate on livestock raising problems.
A geo-botanica] study of the potentialities of the steppe is going
to be conducted with Soviet technical assistunce; the plant oppor-
tunities alone will make it possible to determine the situation of
each cooperative. The minister points out, "the steppe exists in a
yery fragile balance;" we must avoid every risk of destruction of
this equilibrium and study thoroughly problems of infrastructure,
collective equipment, hydraulics, sedentarization, etc. An "arrange-
ment to support the third stage” will be set up vo counteract the
unusual situations which could develop, for example, from climatic
hazards.

The South, says Selim Saadi, is the country's future. But before
proceeding with the conquest of the “vast spaces," we must put on a

a profitable basis the lands which we have aveilable, for example, in
the mountains, where there is abuadant rainfall. ‘These considera—
tions are an indication of the realism aud frankness with which agri-
cultural problems are now approached in Algeria.

COPYRIGHT s

e Paris 1991

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of cooperation that would benefit small and medium-size enterprises within the
franework of the 1980-1984 Plan. Prospects of cooperation do exist between the two
countries, particularly in the field of training, maintenance and construction,
emphasizes the national agency ALGERIE PRESSE SERVICE, waich announced that French
sectorial delegations are to come to Algeria to discuss concrete possibilities with
Algerian officials from the different sectors and later formulate proposals based on
the objectives of the 5-year plan. As we announced, Ceyrac's visit to Algiers will
be followed soon by the establishment within the CNPF of an Algerian Committee to

be headed by Paul Berliet, vice president of Renault Industrial Vehicles (RVI).

The constituent meeting of the Algerian Committee will take place at 1700 hours on
10 February at the headquarters of the CNPF (31 Avenue Pierre 1° de Serbie, Paris
16). It will be open to all enterprises and professional organizations that are
interested (MARCHES ‘TROPICAUX, 23 January, p 182). [Text] [Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX
ET MEDITERRANEENS in French 6 Feb 81 p 300] 11,464

AIR STRIKE--Following a strike by Air Algerie flight crews, traffic of the national
company was totally interrupted at the Houari Boumediene Airport on Wednesday,

28 January, from 0000 to 1700 hours. Work resumed after officials agreed to exam-
ine demands being made by the flight crews, which are asking for a revision of pro-
visions made in July 1979 resulting from an initial work stoppage. [Text] [Paris
MARCHES TROPLCAUX EY’ MEDITERRANEENS in French 6 Feb 81 p 300) 11,464

ETTER FROM REAGAN--President Chadli Benjedid has received a message from President
Ronald Reagan congratulating him on Algeria's "invaluable participation" in the
solution to the problem of the American hostages in Tehran. "For the American
people and the world, Algeria will long represent that rare combination of compas~
sion and competence of which you have every right to be proud," the new President
of the United States wrote, On 29 January, President Reagan stated that the United
States would honor the obligations stemming from the Algerian agreement on the
freeing of the hostages, but on the condition that these obligations be in keeping
with international and American law. [Text] [Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITER-
RANEENS in French 6 Feb 81 p 300] 11,464

OIL NEGOTIATIONS--The CFP [French Petroleum Company] has reached an agreement
with Algeria on the delivery of 3 million tons of crude for 1981, but
negotiations continue to try to achieve the supply level of preceding years,
10 million tons, indicated the AFP [FRENCH PRESS AGENCY] according to an
informed source in Paris. A company spokesman ccafirmed that a renewable
contract had been signed with SONATRACH for 60,000 barrels for 1981.
SONATRACH reportedly demanded only the official price, $40.00 a barrel.
"Total" hopes to obtain the same tonnage as called for in the 5-year contract
which expired 31 December 1980, approximately 10 mill’on tons a year. (See
"Marches Tropicaux et Mediterraneens" 9 Jan 81, p 72.) [Text] [Paris
MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS in French 30 Jan 81 p 240] 9479

GAS TALKS--A French delegation headed by Mr Capron, director of the French
Ministry of Industry, arrived in Algiers late last week, to hold talks with
the Algerian delegation led by Mr Boussena; it continues negotiations on the
price of gas delivered by SONATRACH to Gas of France. [Text] [Paris
MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS in French 30 Jan 81 p 240] 9479

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JPRS L/9596
11 March 1981

- NEAR EAST/NORTH AFRICA REPORT

(FOUO 10/81)

ConTENTS

INTER-ARAB AFFAIRS

. Algerian Cooperation With Iran
(MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS, 30 Jan 81)......0..08 1

Briefs
Moroccan-Algerian Contacts 3

ALGERIA

FIN Seen Reasserting Itself in Political Life

(MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS, 9 Jan 81) . A
Analysis of Algeria's Agricultural Problems
(MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS, 30 Jan 81) ........6 6
Briefs
Foreign Bases 12
French Visit 12
Air Strike 1B
Letter From Reagan 13
Oil Negotiations 2B
Gas Talks 2B
Gas Negotiations Stalled ih
TRAN
Results of 2 Years of Revolution Reviewed
- (Tim McGirks & DAYS, 1h Feb 81) ..ccsccccecscceeecsecceece 15
IRAQ
Briton, Others Detained as POW's by Kurdish Rebels
(Hazhir Teimourians THE TIMES, 20 Feb 81) ...seseseeeveee i
-a- (III - NE & A - 121 FoUO]

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responsibility as much as it is a Syrian extension of Syrian positions,
Syrian demands and Syrian policies. Accordingly, it is Syria that has to
bear these burdens, and it is then up to Lebanon to accept them or not to
accept them. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

UN Forces Are Required

Besides the efforts that Syria is making to persuade the financing coun-
tries to extend the mandate of the deterrent forces, Syria exerted
pressure on the Lebanese government so it would join it in contacting
and interceding with others to persuade all those who were not convinced
of the necessity to extend the mandate of the deterrent forces.

The new and old principle upon which Syria--and implicitly Lebanon--is
basing its argument is that this extension for the deterrent forces will
be the last extension and that the 6 months that are being requested will
be the last 6 months.

But the Lebanese domestic situation is different from the way Syria is
protraying it.

Although there are parties and organizations that oppose the Syrian
Presence without declaring their opposition, the Lebanese Front (the
alliance of rightist organizations) decided to proclaim their opposition
to the presence of the deterrent forces. They asked for the first time
that the UN emergency forces be brought for all of Lebanon. This is what
Brig Gen Raymond Iddih has been advocating for months. Raymond Iddih is
the Lebanese member of parliament who opposes Syria and who has been
living in the French capital for almost 6 years.

The Lebanese Front based its decision to oppose the presence of the
Syrian deterrent forces in Lebanon on the fact that these forces had
been sent by the Arab summit in Riyadh in 1976 to be Arab forces, but
that they had shrunk and become purely Syrian forces. Their objective

+ was no longer that which was designed by the Riyadh summit. Their objec-
tive had become a Syrian objective, and their presence was no longer a
"deterrent"; it was a "military occupation."

The front stated that "Looking for specific and clear bases to justify
extending the mandate of the Arab deterrent forces no longer leads to

a result. Consolidating the authority of the state on Lebanese territory
has become a request that cannot be complied with, and strengthening

the army to enable it to spread itself throughout the regions of Lebanon
cannot be met. Therefore, the only thing that is suitable for Lebanon
would be the UN emergency troops. The UN Security Council has to do [the
following]:

"It has to set the UN emergency forces that are confined in South Lebanon
free in the various regions of Lebanon. .

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[Answer] We cannot say that there is an agreement. We are in the process of
studying and discussing [the proposed formula] even though there is a partial
agreement over 70 percent of the principles.

[Question] What are the points that you have already discussed?

[Answer] The Lebanese situation with jts details--and it has many details. And
we also discussed the Arab situation and the international position.

[Question] Were the responsibilities investigated and defined after the recent
clashes between the nationalist Syrians and the independent Nasirists——al-
Murabitun?

[Answer] An investigative committee has been working, and a number of suspects
have been suspended. We are [still] awaiting the completion of the investigation.

[Question] Who was suspended?

[Answer] I do not mention names.

[Question] What about the continuing excesses in West Beirut?

[Answer] The excesses have decreased sharply after the offices were closed.
[Question] Have you found a formula for consolidating the national battle?
[Answer] We must reach that stage not on the basis of [having] "joint forces,"
but rather on the basis of [having] "united forces." It would be natural for

such a stage to be preceded by an absolute political agreement.

[Question] Is some attempt being made [to achieve] an inter-Lebanese accord in
the foreseeable future?

[Answer] Whose accord with whom? I have not heard of this subject.

[Question] What if the president's conciliatory message, for example, is approved
by the various groups?

{Answer] This is an old story. It is true that they approved it, but the
Lebanese Front group violated it in practice and opposed it on the field.

[Question] How?
[Answer] ‘Ayn al-Rummanah is the proof that the Lebanese Front, or the Phalangist
Party and the Lebanese forces in particular, does not want any accord and does

Not want a state.

[Question] The Lebanese forces are saying that West Beirut is succumbing to the
Syrian and Palestinian occupation and that it has no real spokesman.

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NOTE

JPRS publications contain information primarily from foreign
newspapers, periodicals and books, but also from news agency
transmissions and broadcasts. Materials from foreign-language
sources are translated; those from English-language sources
are transcribed or reprinted, with the original phrasing and
other characteristics retained.

Headlines, editorial reports, and material enclosed in brackets
[] are supplied by JPRS. Processing indicators such as [Text]
or [Excerpt] in the first line of each item, or following the
last line of a brief, indicate how the original information was
processed. Where no processing indicator is given, the infor-
mation was summarized or extracted.

Unfamiliar names rendered phonetically or transliterated are
enclosed in parentheses. Words or names preceded by a ques-
tion mark and enclosed in parentheses were not clear in the
original but have been supplied as appropriate in context.
Other unattributed parenthetical notes within the body of an
item originate with the source. Times within items are as
given by source.

The contents of this publication in no way represent the poli-
cies, views or attitudes of the U.S. Government.

- COPYRIGHT LAWS AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING OWNERSHIP OF
MATERIALS REPRODUCED HEREIN REQUIRE THAT DISSEMINATION
OF THIS PUBLICATION BE RESTRICTED FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY.

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TUNISIA

BRIEFS

ECONOMIC SITUATION--Meeting on 28 January with President Bourguiba, to whom he
presented a report on the planning commissions’ meeting recently held in Gafsa,
Minister of Finance and Plan Mansour Moalla gave the chief of state information on
Tunisia's general economic situation, based on statistics drawn up at the close of
1980. The report shows, concerning investments first of all, that the API (Invest-
ment Promotion Agency) gave its approval to 1,713 projects last year, compared with
1,515 in 1979. The cost of the projects was 358 dinars, compared with 323 million
the previous year, The government's tax receipts, excluding those from the RNTA
(National Tobacco and Match Administration), amounted to 552 million dinars, up

18 percent in 1980. Concerning Tunisia's credit situation, credits to the economy
increased 22.5 percent compared with 1979. Bank savings rose by 24 percent. Tuni-
sian foreign exchange reserves increased 25 million dinars and amounted to 190 mil-
lion dinars by the end of 1980, compared with 165 million in 1979. Other factors
reveal the country's sound economic and financial health. The Treasury's account
with the Central Bank, which totaled 27 million dinars in 1970, reached 60 million
by the end of 1980. Likewise, the value of Tunisian exports rose 27 percent between
November 1979 and November 1980. [Text] [Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS
in French 6 Feb 81 p 301] 11,464

CHEMICAL INDUSTRY--A new chemical industry company will soon be set up in southern
Tunisia. Its capital will initially total 3 million dinars (about $7.5 million).
The project will be based on the working of potassium and magnesium. The company's
production, whose establishment was announced by Prime Minister Mohamed Mzali during
his recent tour of the south, will be 30,000 tons of potassium acid a year. The
potassium and magnesium will also make it possible to launch new industries such

as the detergent industry. In a second phase, the plant will be set up to produce
magnesium oxide and scdium chloride. [Text] [Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITER-
RANEENS in French 6 Feb 81 p 301] 11,464

SOCIAL EQUALITY--New social measures were adopted on 26 January by the Tunisian
National Assembly, following other measures already taken, They are aimed at re-
ducing inequalities between the different social classes and are the concrete ex-
pression of the political determination reiterated by the government of trying to
achieve social equality. They include the establishment of a social security sys-
tem in agriculture, extension of the "social umbrella" to new groups, the estab-
lishment of a death benefit and a system of loans to those insured and an increase
in daily benefits for illness and maternity cases. [Text] [Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX
ET MEDITERRANEENS in French 6 Feb 81 p 301] 11,464

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But Bashir al-Jumayyil's positions were not openly espoused by the Lebanese
Front when the front announced its opinion in an official document whose
preparation lasted over 1 year. Research specialists in al-Kaslik University
took part in drawing up this document which focuses on three principal points.

1. Alternatives to the 1943 formula are to be proposed.

2. The necessity of developing the formula through decentralization, a federation
or a confederation is resolved.

3. Minorities, regardless of their religion, their sect and their number, are to
be given equal rights with the members of the other sects.

Although the common denominators between the plan of the Lebanese Front and some
aspects of the step-by-step political program of the national and progressive
parties and forces are not few, the method of dealing with the Lebanese crisis
today differs from the method of dealing with it when the crisis began. The
dialogue may require the removal of many mines all of which are of the complex
kind.

It is evident that despite occasional good intentions, Lebanon continues to be
a big open mine, and those who are playing with matches in its vicinity are not
few.

COPYRIGHT: 1979 AL-WATAN AL- ‘ARABI

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STEEL MILL, GUELB PROJECT--Two Mauritanian projects for upgrading iron ore have been
launched by Mr Ahmed Ould Bneijara, the new Mauritanian prime minister. They include,
on one hand, a small steel mill capable of producing 7,000 to 10,000 tons of rein-
forced concrete from scrap iron recovered by the National Industrial and Mining Com-
pany (SNIM) and, on the other, the Guelb project, which should enable Mauritania

Lo continue to produce iron after depletion of the Kedia deposit, now being exploited.
The construction of the steel mill at Nouadhibou (north of Nouakchott) represents an
investment of $2 million. The Guelb project, whose first phase will begin in 1983
and which should make it possible to dress the low-grade iron ore produced (34 percent),
will cost $500 million. The SNIM has invested $100 million in the project, with the
remainder being furnished by foreign financial backers led by the World Bank. [Text]
Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS in French 16 Jan 81 p 134] 11915

IRAQI DELEGATION'S OFFERS--A delegation of the Iraqi Ba'ath Party visited Mauritania

- from 28 to 31 December 1980 at the invitation of the Military Committee for National
Salvation. According to the joint communique, the delegation offered to make a con~
tribution of $1 million to help Mauritania to abolish slavery in the country, with
this amount to be invested in projects intended to aid the advancement of those freed

: men and women. The Iraqi delegation also offered $1 million for the national volun-
teer service movement. Finally, the two parties have established the principle of

‘ an exchange of delegations between the national volunteer service movement and the
social work structures in Iraq with a view to reinforcing cooperation and coordina-
tion between the two movements. [Text] [Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS
in French 16 Jan 81 p 134} 11915

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[Answer] What Lebanon? Who is taking notice of Lebanon? Can you find Lebanon
on the map of the United States? Lebanon in its entirety does not equal one
quarter of a borough in New York! We attach more importance than we should to
Lebanon, and the world sees nothing of this Lebanon.

[Question] We are Lebanese, and it is our right to think of our destiny, [is
it not]?

[Answer] Provided that we do not magnify our ambitions, our presence and our
worth. The world is preoccupied with more important problems.

- [Question] Does this mean that the world forgot us?
[Answer] I don't know.
[Question] What do you think of the Syrian-Libyan plan for unity?

[Answer] This rapprochenent is good. Any Arab unification plan is ultimately
good and beneficial if its objective is to strengthen Arab steadfastness against
Ierael and if it takes the essence of the question into consideration. On this
basis tt is beneficial for the cause, for the Arabs and for the world.

[Question] Some people are calling for terminating the mission of the deterrent
farces in Lebanon. Are you anong those?

[Answer] We cannot determine the term of the mandate for the deterrent forces.
We support the extension for the forces until the legitimate forces can complete
their equipment and their preparations. As far as we are concerned the question
is settled.

[Question] What about the Lebanese army and the new defense bill?

- [Answer] There is a defense bill and there is a bill to penalize military
officials who were responsible for the collapse of the army in ‘Ayn al—Rummanah.
Those people must be punished, and they must be dismissed from the service.
After new leaders are selected, we can resume our examination of the army bill.
Furthermore, as a party we object to the new bill because it does not meet its
purpose. There are no powers whatsoever in this bill for the general staff.
All the powers of the chief of staff in the previous law were turned over to the
commander of the army and then directly or indirectly to the minister of defense.
Because ministers of defense have nothing to gain from the military establishment,
these powers were turned again to the commander.

[Question] What about the powers of the Supreme Defense Council?

[Answer] This council met once after the ‘Ayn al-Rummanah story and has not
met since then. It is necessary that this council meet periodically, but
technical matters are more important. They are more important than the Defense

Council or the general staff of the Military Council as staff. Ask any military
expert you like, and you will get the same answer.

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Organizations and Training

Actualiy a great deal should be expected from cooperatives and

* Services; but Selim Saadi recognizes that some things can only be
accomplished with time: “yhere are, he declares, stages to inevi-
ably go through before achieving a proper assimilation of the
cooperative movement at all levels." But he thinks that is one more

reason to undertake immediately the necessary changes.

The reorganization of the supply channeis of agricultural ferms is
pased, first of all, on a simplification of basic cooperative organi-
zations; then on support, on the wilaya level, of the cooperative
which operates on the commune level; finally, on the control of the
producers, which will have to extend to ell these organizations.

Personnel, which is often excessive, will be reduced.

The creation

of a supply office, acting as a purchasing center will facilitate
price regulation. Port offices will insure the direct shipping of
imported merchandise, fertilizer, in particular, to the wilayas.

A cooperation institute will train cadres and managers:
are particularly in short supply.

The latter

Finally, they will see to it that the graduates of the various agri-
cultural training organizations are really absorbed by agriculture
to a very great extent, while at the present time most of them
gravitate towards other jobs, for exemple, administration; 85 per-
cent of the technicians graduated from the National Agricultural
Institute work elsewhere than in agricuiture, And those who are

involved with agricultural questions do so in offices,

most often going out into the fields; the minister intends that from
now on these theoreticians are going +0 often come in contact with

reality.

Marketing: A Pree Choice

Marketing of agricultural products is one of the obvious weak points
of Algerian agriculture; the organizations, under the circumstances,
have proved to be ineffective. The minister declares, it is neces-
sary to give the producer from now on the right +o sell his pr
as he wishes, allowing him a choice between the free market and
state organizations; he thus will be freed from those organizations,

which he has not ceased complaining about for years.

Nevertheless, these organizations will continue to be improved; the
State has invested a great deal in them, they can supply almost a
third of the annual production of fruits and vegetables, but it is
necessary to train the corresponding personnel; warehouse keepers,
accountants, managers and not allow an excessive number of people

who are almost illiterate to remain aS now.

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ALGERIA

BRIEFS

FOREIGN BASES--Within the framework of the foreign policy line spelled out before
the National Assembly a few days previously by Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamed
Seddik Benyahia, who said that "Algeria will never allow the establishment of
imperialist military bases within its borders," the national daily EL MOUDJAHID
stated on the front page of its 27 January edition Algeria's opposition to the
setting up of any foreign base in Africa and its support for the "principle of non-
interference in the domestic affairs of nations" and the solution of African prob-
lens within "an exclusively African context." Writing in EL MOUDJAHID, Ahmed
Hamouni, who considers the African continent "placed, in spite of itself, in the
very center of gravity of a Western strategy of neocolonial dimensions," asks how
genuine decolonization actually is and deplores the fact that countries “are hanging
on to the colonizing order of the occupier." After denouncing a foreign economic
omnipresence "which necessarily determines any policy, whether on the scale of the
continent or on the larger scale of international relations," and a supposedly
"dissuasive" military presence, he declares that "the destabilization of Africa is
maintained by the presence, at different spots of the continent, of foreign bases
that feed disturbances and conflicts, whether they be on borders or within nations."
He takes a negative position on the question of whether or not the "enfeoffed
countries can truly work for the well-being of their peoples when their entire policy
is dictated from foreign capitals." The Algerian daily emphasizes the need "to get
rid of the totally reactionary blinkers which mean that in terms of specific inter-
ests -- never those of the people -- there will be a mass reaction to certain

events shrewdly arranged for unavowed purposes." "Inversely," EL MOUDJAHID writes,
"the principle of noninterference in the internal affairs of nations, in keeping
with the charter of the OAU, must find its full meaning in a whole series of both
bilateral and multilateral measures that will prevent and eliminate from our con-
tinent any foreign interventionism which uses disturbances as a pretext, disturbances
that must be solved within an exclusively African framework: Gafsa, Chad, Zaire,
the Western Sahara, and so on." [Text] [Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS
in French 6 Feb 81 p 300] 11,464

FRENCH VISIT--A delegation from the CNPF (National Council of French Employers) ,
headed by its president, Francois Ceyrac, visited Algeria from 23 to 25 January
seeking information on possibilities of cooperation between Algeria and France.

The French delegation was received by several ministers: Abdelhamid Brahimi,
minister of planning and national development; Mohamed Liassine, minister of heavy
industry; Said Ait Messaoudene, minister of light industry; Belkacem Nabi, minister
of energy and the petrochemical industries. It also investigated possibilities

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