NEAR EAST AND SOUTH ASIA REVIEW (U) SUPPLEMENT9 CONTENTS
- North Yemen: Relations (U)
long-rar.gc goal is to see pro-Iraqi Baathist regimes installed in both North and South Yemen, beginning with Sana where the prospects are better.
orth: Relations
Iraq's long-range goal is to see pro-Iraqiregimes installed in both North and South Yemen, beginning with Sana where the prospects are better. Baghdad has been flexible and patient in pursuing this end over the yeais. Iraq has quietly supported local Baathists in an effort to beosition to exploit opportunities. Iraq also would like to impede Soviet penetration in southwest Arabia and to chip away at Saudi plans to dominate the Arabian Peninsula.
Iraq recently tried to cool the conflict between the twon part to prevent the controversy from upsetting attempts to forge an Arab consensus against the Egyptian-Israeli treaty./"
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As the military situation worsened. Baghdad--with help fromthe initiative to stop the Iraq was more than willing to intervene because it shares the Saudi concern over Soviet inroads in the area. /
Iraq has tried, with little success, to pull south Yemen out of the Soviet orbit and into the Arrb fold by means of various aid projects.
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Several prominent North Yemeni Eaathists were also named to important military posts onarch,the new Deputy Chief of Staff, Lt. Col. Ali Qasim Mansur, and the Director of Military Operations. Maj. Abdallah Husayn al-Bashin. Oasiraorth Yemeni whoember of the Baghdad-based Baath PartyCommand, and who has been identified as afor Iraqi funds into North Yemen, returned to Sana shortly after the war.
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Should the Iraqiiein Sana tall, as many expect, the Baathists may beosition to pick up the pieces, or at leastajor roleuccessor government. While the term "Baathist" is generally appliedumber of specific prominent political and military personalities in Sana, it is also used loosely toariety of people with "progressive" notions and should not be taken to indicate any unified political approach or philosophy. Some of those in North Yemen receiving subventions from Iraq are more opportunist than Baathist. Even if the present Sana government is replacedaathist or Baathist-oriented regime, the degree to which Iraq will have real control is thus questionable, although Iraq
thetic to its aims.
Original document.
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