Black smoke ls obscuring tbe sun ln western Iranian provincial capitals moreiles from Kuwait, according to the Iranian press. Although NOAA indicates the heavy smoke from the fires in Kuwait it travelling straight north over Iran, the official Iranian news agency blames much of th* smoke on coalition bombing in Iraq near the Iranian border.
Political PavolopMBtf
Kuwaiti Xsir'* nationalaage
Amir Jablr al-Sabah marked the thirtieth anniversary of Kuwait'* independenceessage praising coalition forces for working to liberate Kuwait and hailing thedfastnesfl of Kuwaitis resisting tho Iraqi occupation. Th* Amirh* need for Kuwaiti self-sacrlfice and self-reliance after liberation. Jablr also stressed that the upcoming "new phase" of Kuwait'* history would require unity based on the "national covenant- formed at the Jeidah conference last Octoter. ttzb
SovietGeneral Major Viktorditor of the well-known Military Historicalhat the coalition force* are exceeding the UH resolution* and told Baghdad press on Friday he i* confidant that Iraqi force* will be victorlou*he allies. Filatov, who probably arrived ln Iraq with returning Foreign Minister Tarlq Aziz onebruary, added that Iraqi weapons were better than American ones and demonstrated his conviction through his presence ln Baghdad. The Soviet Defense Ministry denied press reports on Fridayelegation of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces was staying in Iraq.
Coaaeat: Filatov, an extreme hardliner, consistently has been in the majority of Soviet observers who believe that allied forces will becoae bogged down in the Gulf and will lose to Iraq. Ha is probably ln Baghdad to report the Iraqi side of the varraditionalist perspective rather than to aid the Iraqi military. Filatov's presence in Baghdad probably explains earlier claims froa the PLO press in Tunis that th* Soviets hadigh-level military delegation to the Iraqi capital last week to provide military assistance.
China Pxprease*t Start of Lead War
Beijing expressed its _deep regret- Sunday over the start of the ground war and appealed to "all warring parties to exercise restraint." As he departed Tehran Sunday, Vice Foreign Minister Yang Fuchang offered the Chinese Governaent's six-point peace plan--lncludlng acall for Iraqieaceful settlement, egional approach to poatwar security, without foreign allltary forces. The planhat an Arab-Israell settlement wa* essential to lasting peace in the region, but atrccced that it need not be linked to the Gulf crisis. Theedia reported Monday that the US and France "claimed" th* ground war was going well but that the "international
community" continued to callalt to tha war.
Beijingrying to bolster its international Imageoice of peace and reason, without being drawnediating role. The *lx point peace plan appeared only ln the Chinese-language media, suggesting the Governaent recognized ths need to tread carefully to avoid appearing to challenge Washington openly. 3
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