File: 082696_d50028_107.txt
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Total Pages: 274

Wednesday --- NATO announces that three squadrons of Italian, Belgian and German jet fighters
will be sent to Turkey to reinforce a possible second front against Iraq. (New York Times, January 3,
p. Al.)

White House says it may agree to a meeting between Saddam Hussein and Secretary of State Baker
in Baghdad after January 3. The Administration had earlier insisted that such a meeting take place
before January 3. (New York Times, January 3, p. Al.)

-- American military commanders say Iraqi troops in Kuwait show no sign of leaving and in fact are
increasing their defensive preparations. (New York Times, January 3, p. A8.)

~nuary 3
Thursday--- President Bush offers to send Secretary of State Baker to Geneva to meet with Iraqi
Foreign Minister Aziz next week. (New York Times, January 4, p. Al.)

---Pentagon says that there are 530,000 Iraqi troops in and near occupied Kuwait and that there are
about 580,000 multinational troops arrayed against them in the Persian Gulf. (New York Times, January
4, p. AlO.)

Iraqi authorities inform foreign press corps in Baghdad that the government of Saddam Hussein will
move out of Baghdad in advance of the January 15 deadline, (New York Times, January 4, p. AlO.)

Leaders of Egypt, Syria, Sudan and Libya ended three hours of talas in Tunis with no sign of
progress toward finding a peaceful solution to the Persian Gulf crisis. (New York Times, January 4,
p. AlO.)

A group of international judges meeting in Paris says that the U.N. Security Council Resolution
authorizing force to evict Iraq from Kuwait is invalid because one of the permanent members, China,
had not backed it. They base their position on Article 27 of the U.N. Charter which says that the
decisions of the Security Council require the "affirmative vote" of all five permanent members.
(Washington Times, January 4, p. 8.)

A recent USA TODAY poll finds that 70% of those polled say President Bush should get
Congressional approval before beginning military action in the Persian Gulf. In addition, 59% feel that
war is very lIkely, compared with 46% in early December. (USA TODAY, January 4, p. I.)

january 4
Friday --- Iraq accepts President Bush's offer for Secretary of State Baker and Iraqi Foreign Minister
Aziz to meet on January 9 in Geneva. (New York Times, January 5, p. 1.)

Twelve member European Community promises Baghdad that it would work to resolve all Middle
East problems if Iraq pulls out of Kuwait peacefully. (New York Times, January 5, p. 1.)

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