Chronology February 16, 1979-May 15, 1979

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Source: Middle East Journal, Vol. 33, No. 3 (Summer, 1979), pp. 349-363
Published by: Middle East Institute
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4325879 .
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 CHRONOLOGY
February16, 1979-May 15, 1979
Arab Israeli Conflict
(See also, Egypt, Iran, Lebanon)
1979
Feb. 17: US Secretary of Defense Harold Brown met
with Egyptian President Anwar al-Sadat in Ismailia.
{NYTI
Feb. 18: Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)
leader Yasir 'Arafat said in Tehran that the Iranian
revolution had "turned upside down" the balance of
forces in the Middle East. [NYT}
A Senegalese soldier in the UN Interim Forces
in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was arrested in Israel while he
was transfering explosives to a "terrorist". Israel
closed the frontier with Lebanon. [JP]
Feb. 19: The PLO opened offices in a building in
Tehran previously occupied by the Israeli legation.
[NYTI
Feb. 21: US Secretary of State Cyrus Vance opened
talks between Israeli Foreign Minister Moshe Dayan
and Egyptian Premier Mustafa Khalil at Camp David.
[NYTI
The UN Human Rights Commission adopted a
resolution accusing Israel of war crimes in the
occupied Arab territories. A second resolution af-
firmed the right of the Palestinian people to a
"fully independent and sovereign state in Palestine."
[NYTI
Feb. 22. A second round of talks was held at Camp
David. [NYT)
Feb. 23.' The US said that Saudi Arabian Crown
Prince Fahd had cancelled a scheduled visit to
Washington because of "health concerns." The Saudi
Embassy in Washington said the trip had been
postponed by mutual agreement. [NYT}
Feb. 25: The talks ended at Camp David. "Some
progress" was reported to have been made. [NYT}
Feb. 27: An Israeli Cabinet statement said that re-
cently submitted US peace proposals were "incon-
sistent with the Camp David agreement." [NYTI
List of Abbreviations
AN, Arab News; CSM, The Christian Science Monitor; EN, Emirates News; FBIS, Foreign Broadcast Information
ServiceDaily Report-Middle East and North Africa; JP, The Jerusalem Post; MEED, Middle East EconomicDigest;
MEES, MiddleEast EconomicSurvey;NYT, The New YorkTimes;TDN, Turkish Daily News; WP, The WashingtonPost.
349
The Israeli Cabinet refused to permit Israeli
Premier Menahem Begin to attend a summit
conference with Egypt in the US, but authorized
him to meet with US President Jimmy Carter
alone. [NYT]
Feb. 28: US President Carter said that "absolutely
insignificant difficulties" were preventing the con-
clusion of a peace treaty. [NYT)
Israeli Premier Begin said that "grave issues"
separated Israel and Egypt in their peace negotia-
tions. [NYT)
March 1: Begin said in Israel that it was "the duty of
the United States to convince the Egyptians to change
their attitudes." [NYTI
Begin arrived in Washington and said he could
not be pressed into signing "a sham document."
Later he met with Carter. The talks were described
as having been conducted "in a most friendly
atmosphere." [NYT)
March 2: Carter and Begin met in Washington.
Carter said later that Israel and Egypt were "within
inches" of a peace treaty. [NYT}
March 3: Carter and Begin held a "crucial" session in
Washington. [NYT]
March 4: Carter and Begin met again. Carter offered
new suggestions. [NYT]
March 5: Israel accepted the peace suggestions put
forward by Carter. [NYT}
The Lebanese towns of Nabatiyah and Hasbayah
and a Palestinian camp near Tyre were shelled by
heavy artillery. The Israelis were accused of the
shelling. [NYTI
It was announced that Carter would fly to Egypt
and Israel to continue the peace negotiations.
[NYTI
March 7. Carter left Washington for Cairo to carry
on peace negotiations. [NYT)
Bombs were placed on 3 tourist buses operating
from Jerusalem. Twelve people were injured.
[NYTI
March 8: Carter met with Egyptian President Sadat
in Cairo on the US peace proposals. Later officials
on both sides said that "unresolved issues" re-
mained. [NYT]
350 THE MIDDLE EAST JOURNAL
March 9: Carter and Sadat travelled to Alexandria by
train. Sadat told reporters that he was on the
"verge of an agreement." [NYT)
March 10: Carter spoke before the People's Assembly
in Cairo and said a treaty between Egypt and
Israel was a "first step" toward a comprehensive
peace. He said he was "personally committed" to
move on to negotiations on "issues of concern to
the Palestinians." [NYT)
At the end of discussions with Sadat, Carter said
that some "difficult issues" remained to be resolved.
[NYTI
Israeli forces killed 4 Palestinian guerrillas on the
occupied West Bank. The Palestinian Popular
Struggle Front claimed responsibility for the opera-
tion. [NYT]
Carter arrived in Israel for talks with Israeli
officials. [NYT]
March 12: The Israeli Cabinet approved some re-
vised US proposals, leaving other questions open.
[NYTI
Carter and Begin spoke before the Israeli
Knesset. Begin said a peace treaty would be signed
only after Knesset approval. [NYTI
Iran called on the UN Security Council to
compel Israel to restore the "human rights of the
Palestinian people" in the occupied territories.
[NYTI
March 13: Palestinian guerrillas in south Lebanon and
Israeli forces exchanged artillery fire. Israeli gun-
boats shelled Damur, near Beirut. [NYT]
Carter met with Begin and later flew to Cairo.
Sadat accepted compromise peace proposals sub-
mitted by Carter. [NYT]
Carter said that "all the main ingredients of a
peace treaty" had been defined. [NYT)
March 14: Israel exchanged 66 Palestinian prisoners
for a captured Israeli soldier in Geneva, Switzerland.
A Red Cross spokesman said 10 other Palestinians
had been released but had remained in occupied
territory. [NYT]
Demonstrations against the proposed treaty were
held in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.
[NYT]
March 15: The Egyptian Cabinet voted unanimously
to approve the draft peace treaty with Israel.
[NYT]
Israeli security forces and armed Jewish settlers
fired on Arab demonstrators in Halhoul on the West
Bank, killing 2 people. [NYT]
March 17: US National Security Adviser Zbigniew
Brzezinski arrived in Riyadh and met with King
Khalid. [FBISI
PLO leader 'Arafat met with Jordanian King
Husayn in Jordan on the Middle East situation.
[NYT]
March 18: Israeli Defense Minister Ezer Weizman and
Egyptian Defense Minister Kamal Hasan 'Ali met to
establish a timetable for Israeli withdrawal from
Sinai. [NYT]
Brzezinski arrived in Amman and met with King
Husayn. Later he flew to Cairo to brief Sadat on
the results of his mission to Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
[NYT]
March 19: The Israeli Cabinet voted 15 to 2 to approve
the peace treaty. [NYT]
March 20: Begin told the Knesset that there would
"never be a Palestinian state" on the West Bank
and that Jerusalem would "never be divided again."
[NYTI
King Husayn accused the US of "arm-twisting"
to win support for the peace treaty. [NYT)
March 22: The Israeli Knesset approved the peace
treaty by a vote of 95 to 18. [NYT)
The UN Security Council voted 12 to 0 with 3
abstentions to create a 3 member commission to
"examine the situation relating to settlements in the
occupied Arab territories." [NYT]
Arab League Secretary General Mahmutd Riyad
resigned his post, effective at the end of the
month. [NYT}
March 23: Carter said that the US wanted "direct
relations" with Palestinians in the occupied territories
but found it "a problem" to deal with the PLO.
[NYT]
Israeli Foreign Minister Dayan and US Secretary
of State Vance met in Washington on a "memoran-
dum of agreement" concerning the treaty. [NYT}
A senior PLO official was assassinated in Islamabad,
Pakistan. [FBIS]
March 24: Vance met with Begin in New York con-
cerning the memorandum of agreement. [NYT]
A meeting of the Arab League began in Mogadishu,
Somalia. [NYT]
Syria said it would not seek an oil embargo against
the US if the peace treaty were signed because it
would "divert attention from the high treason" of
Egypt. [NYTI
March 25: Sadat met with Begin in Washington and
invited him to visit Cairo after the signing of the
treaty. [NYT]
Two bomb blasts shattered windows of the US
Embassy in Damascus. [NYTI
March 26: The peace treaty was signed by Sadat and
Begin in ceremonies in Washington. Carter signed
the treaty as a witness. [NYTI
'Arafat vowed to "chop off the hands" of the
signers of the treaty. [NYT]
March 27: Begin and Sadat spoke separately before
US Senators and Representatives at the Capitol.
[NYT]
Syrian Foreign Minister 'Abd al-Halim Khaddam
said in Paris after talks with French President
Valery Giscard d'Estaing that any European Com-
mon Market support of the peace treaty would be
taken "as defiance" by the Arabs. [NYT}
Egypt said it was "freezing" its relations with
the Arab League. [NYT]
Ministers of Arab League member states and
the PLO met in Baghdad to discuss the peace
treaty. Sudan and Oman declined to attend. Egypt
was not invited. [NYT)
 CHRONOLOGY
March 28: Sadat objected to a memorandum of agree-
ment between the US and Israel which covered US
action toward Israel in the event of Egyptian viola-
tion of the treaty. [NYT)
Oman endorsed the peace agreement. [NYT)
Disagreements arose at the Baghdad Conference.
The delegations of the PLO, Syria and Libya walked
out of the meeting. [NYTI
Jordan announced it was recalling its Ambassador
to Egypt but said it was not breaking relations.
[NYT}
March 29: The Baghdad Conference was suspended
for 24 hours to allow the delegations to consult with
their governments. [NYT}
Saudi Arabia said that it was ready to apply only
the "limited sanctions" against Egypt agreed upon in
Baghdad in November. [NYT}
March 30: No agreement was reached in Baghdad. It
was decided to postpone the closing session of the
conference to the following day. [NYT]
March 31: The Baghdad Conference adopted resolu-
tions calling for immediate withdrawal of each state's
Ambassadors from Egypt, complete severence of
diplomatic ties within 1 month, suspension of
Egypt from membership in the Arab League and
transferal of Arab League headquarters to Tunisia.
[NYT]
Sidat returned to Egypt. Hundreds of thousands of
people lined the route from the airport to greet
him. [NYTI
April 1: The Israeli Cabinet ratified the peace treaty.
[NYTJ
The Egyptian Cabinet termed the political and
economic measures taken at the Baghdad Con-
ference "null and void." [NYT]
April 2: Begin arrived in Cairo on a visit and was
met by Egyptian Vice President Husni Mubarak.
[NYTI
Three men fired rocket grenades at the US
Embassy in Beirut. [NYT]
Israel said it had captured a freighter in the
Mediterranean carrying Palestinian guerrillas to a raid
in Israel. [NYT]
April 3: Begin returned to Israel from Cairo and
said some "very important agreements" had been
reached during the visit. [NYT]
April 5: The New York Times reported that the US
State Department had issued a visa to PLO official
Shafiq al-Hu-t to enter the US. [NYT]
April 7: Egypt recalled its Ambassadors from 7 Arab
countries. [NYT]
April 8: The Central Council of the PLO decided
"to step up military activities against the Israelis
in the occupied territories." [NYT]
April 10: A bomb exploded in a Tel Aviv market,
killing 1 person. The PLO claimed responsibility.
[NYT]
Israeli jets struck at targets at Damur and in the
area of Tyre in Lebanon. Four people were re-
ported killed. [NYT]
April 11: Palestinian guerrillas fired rockets at the
35 1
Israeli town of Qiryat Shemona in reprisal for the
air raids. [NYT)
Israeli planes struck at Damur and Palestinian
positions near Tyre. [NYT)
Israeli gunners and Lebanese Christians bom-
barded Palestinian positions in southern Lebanon.
[NYT}
Sadit announced that a nationwide referendum
would be held in April to approve the peace treaty.
[NYT}
April 15: Israeli soldiers killed 4 Palestinian guerrillas
who had entered Israel from Jordanian territory.
[NYTJ
April 16: An Israeli patrol intercepted 6 Arab guerrillas
on Israeli territory near the Lebanese border. The
clash left 1 Israeli soldier and the 6 guerrillas
dead. [NYT)
Palestinian guerrillas were foiled in an attempt to
take over an Israeli airliner at Brussels airport.
Two Palestinians were arrested. The organization
"Black March" claimed responsibility. [NYTI
April 17: An Israeli schoolboy spotted a bomb on a
bus. The bomb blew up shortly after the bus was
emptied. [NYTI
The Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting
Countries announced the expulsion of Egypt and
imposed an oil embargo on it. [NYTI
The PLO dissociated itself from the guerrilla
attack at Brussels airport. [NYT}
April 18: Egypt was suspended from the Arab Mone-
tary Fund. [NYT}
April 19: Egyptians went to the polls to approve
the peace treaty and a proposal to dissolve the
People's Assembly. [NYTI
Israeli Agriculture Minister Ariel Sharon told Israeli
settlers the Golan Heights would not be given up in
any peace settlement with Syria. [NYT}
April 20: It was announced that 99.95% of Egyptian
voters had approved the treaty. The dissolution of the
People's Assembly was also approved. [NYTI
April 22: Four Palestinian guerrillas attacked Nahariya
in Israel, leaving 4 Israelis dead. Two of the
terrorists were killed and 2 captured. [NYT}
Israeli ships shelled a Palestinian refugee camp
near Tripoli, Lebanon, in reprisal for the terrorist
raid. [NYTI
The Israeli Cabinet approved the construction of
2 new Jewish settlements on the West Bank.
[NYT)
Kuwayt severed diplomatic relations with Egypt.
[NYT}
April 23. Saudi Arabia broke diplomatic relations with
Egypt. [FBIS}
April 24: Israeli gunboats shelled the Lebanese coast
between Tyre and Sidon. Israeli jets raided sites near
Sidon and Nabatiyah. [NYT)
Mauritania cut diplomatic relations with Egypt.
[NYT)
April 25: After a delay, Israel and Egypt exchanged
treaty ratification documents in the Sinai. [NYT}
Israeli gunboats shelled Tyre and nearby Pales-
352 THE MIDDLE EAST JOURNAL
tinian camps. Israeli artillery fired on villages in
south Lebanon. [NYTJ
Israeli Defense Minister Weizman said in Egypt
that the PLO should "stop shooting and start talking."
[NYTI
Qatar and the UAA broke diplomatic relations
with Egypt. [FBISJ
April 26: A ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian
guerrillas in Lebanon was implemented after Israeli
gunboats had shelled positions near Sidon and Israeli
artillery had fired on Hasbayah. [NYT}
Weizman met with Sadat in Ismailia on plans
for normalizing relations between Israel and Egypt
and on Israeli withdrawal from the Sinai. [NYTI
Bahrayn, Lebanon and Morocco cut diplomatic
relations with Egypt. [FBIS}
April 27: Tunisia broke off diplomatic relations with
Egypt. [FBISI
April 28. Yemen severed diplomatic relations with
Egypt. [FBISJ
April 29: Egyptian and Israeli military officers met
in Sinai to negotiate details of Israeli withdrawal
from Sinai. [NYTI
The Israeli Cabinet voted to allow prosecutors in
military courts to seek the death penalty for terrorist
acts of "inhuman cruelty." [NYT)
April 30: An Israeli cargo ship sailed through the
Suez Canal. [NYTI
Iranian Ayat Allah Ruih Allah Khumayni ordered
the provisional government to sever diplomatic
relations with Egypt. [NYTI
The New York Times reported that the Israeli
newspaper Haaretz was supporting the claims of a
Palestinian journalist that he had been severely
beaten by Israeli policeman while under detention.
[NYT}
Djibouti severed diplomatic relations with Egypt.
[NYT]
May 1: Sadat accused Saudi Arabia of using pressure
and monetary inducements to persuade other Arab
states to break relations with Egypt. [NYTI
May 2. Begin said Israel would "never withdraw from
the Golan Heights." [NYTI
May 3: Israeli occupation authorities ordered Bir
Zeit University to be closed indefinitely as a result of
demonstrations the day before. [NYT]
Soldiers entered Bethlehem University to break up
stone throwing incidents. Israeli authorities ordered
the school closed for 4 days. [NYT]
May 4: Israel said the Camp David accords did not
obligate it to withdraw from the West Bank, Gaza
Strip or the Golan Heights. It said it would remain
in "defined security locations" in the occupied
territories. [NYT]
May 6. Israeli jets struck a Palestinian refugee camp
and a Lebanese village near the port of Tripoli.
[NYT]
May 7: Begin proposed that Lebanese President
llyas Sarkis meet with him to discuss the "signing
of a peace treaty between Israel and Lebanon."
[NYTJ
Lebanon rejected the proposal to negotiate a peace
treaty. [NYT}
Israeli jets raided a "guerrilla camp" at the south
Lebanese village of Reihan. [NYT]
May 8: Israeli jets attacked "concentrations of terrorists"
south of Sidon. Later their jets struck the Pales-
tinian camp at Reihan. [NYTI
May 9: Israeli soldiers crossed into southern Lebanon
to pursue 3 Palestinian guerrillas who had raided
Israel. [NYT]
Representatives at the Islamic Foreign Ministers
Conference in Fez, Morocco, suspended Egypt from
participation. [NYT]
May 10: Israel ordered the deportation of 2 US
students because they had participated in a demon-
stration on the West Bank. [NYT)
A UNIFIL soldier from Senegal was found guilty
of smuggling explosives into Israel. He was sen-
tenced to 10 years imprisonment. [JP]
May 11: Scuffles broke out near Bethlehem between
Jewish members of the Peace Now Movement
and the militant Jewish nationalist movement
Gush Emunim. [NYTI
May 14: A bomb exploded in Tiberias, Israel, kill-
ing 2 people and wounding 32. [NYT]
The 2 US students left Israel. [NYTI
Saudi Arabia said that the Arab Organization for
Industrialization, an arms consortium founded in
Egypt, would be disbanded because of the conclusion
of the peace treaty. [NYTI
Petroleum Affairs
1979
Feb. 21: Libya raised its oil prices by 5%. [NYTI
Feb. 26. Kuwayt raised its oil prices by 9.35%,
retroactive to February 20. [NYT]
Feb. 27. Saudi Arabia and Iraq said they would not
raise oil prices in the first quarter of 1979.
[NYTI
Feb. 28.' The Organization of Petroleum Exporting
Countries (OPEC) formally approved the price in-
creases by several of its members. [NYT]
The New York Times cited "oil company sources"
as saying Oman had raised its oil prices more than
7% retroactive to February 15. [NYT]
March 8: Libya said it would cut production by 12
to 18%, beginning April 1. [NYTI
March 26. OPEC Oil Ministers met in Geneva to
discuss oil price levels. [NYT}
March 27. OPEC raised the basic price of crude oil
by 9%, effective April 1, and allowed each OPEC
nation to add "market premia" to the basic price.
[NYT]
Algeria and Libya announced price increases on
crude oil of about $4 per barrel. [NYT}
April 15: Iran announced it would raise oil prices by
13% over the basic rate set by OPEC in March.
[NYT}
 CHRONOLOGY
Afghanistan
1979
Feb. 17: The Soviet Union, responding to a US protest
about a Soviet role in the assassination of the US
Ambassador to Afghanistan on February 14, said they
had "nothing to do with the decision of the Afghan
authorities" in the incident. [NYT]
Feb. 19: Foreign Minister Hafizollah Amin rejected
a US protest over the incident leading to the slaying
of the US Ambassador as "completely baseless."
[NYTI
Feb.22: The New YorkTimes reported that US President
Jimmy Carter had ordered US aid to Afghanistan
to be reduced. [NYT]
March 18: Afghanistan accused Iran of sending 7,000
troops to Afghanistan disguised as returning refugees
to create trouble for the government in Kabul.
[NYTI
March 21: The New York Times reported that the
government had advised Embassies that communica-
tions had been cut with the city of Herat, where
government troops had been fighting anti-government
forces. [NYT]
March 23: A US spokesman said the US expected
that the "principle of noninterference" in Afghanistan
would be respected by all parties in the area "in-
cluding the Soviet Union." [NYT]
March 27: Foreign Minister Amin was named Premier.
[NYT]
April 1: The new government was announced:
Hafizollah Amin: Premierand ForeignAffairs
Shah Wali: Deputy Premierand Health
Saleh Mohammad Ziray: Agriculture
Dastagir Panjshiri: Public Works
Abdolkarim Misaq: Finance
Mahmud Suma: Higher Education
Aslam Watanjar: Defense
Abdourashid Jalili: Education
Abdolhakim Sharai:Justice and Attorney General
Mahmud Hashemi: Water & Power
Maleq Katawazi: Information & Culture
Mohammad Esmail Danesh: Mines & Industries
Abdolqaddus Ghorbandi: Commerce
Hasan Bareq Shafii: Transport
Saheb Jan Sahrai:FrontierAffairs [FBISJ
April 8: Soviet Vice Minister of Defense Aleksey
Yepishev met with President Nur Mohammad Taraki
in Kabul. [FBIS]
The government accused Pakistani troops of attack-
ing 4 Afghan police posts 2 days earlier. [NYT]
April 9: Pakistan called the Afghan accusations "pre-
posterous". [NYTI
April 27: President Taraki charged that 2,700 Afghan
nationals had been killed in Iran. [NYT]
April 30: Taraki said Pakistani President Muhammad
Zia-ul-Haq was "involved" with attacks on border
positions in eastern Afghanistan. [AN]
353
Algeria
(See also, Petroleum Affairs)
1979
March 8: A new Cabinet was announced:
Mohamed Ben Ahmed Abdelghani: Premier and
Interior
Abdelaziz Bouteflika: Minister Counsellor
Ahmed Taleb Ibrahim: Minister Counsellor
Abdelmalek Benhabiles: Secretary General to the
Presidency
Mohamed Seddik Benyahia: ForeignAffairs
Selim Saadi: Agriculture
Ahmed Ghozali: Irrigation
Ahmed Ali Ghozali: Public Works
Belkacem Nabi: Energy & Petrochemicals
Said Ait Messaoudene: Light Industry
Mohamed Liassine: Heavy Industry
Mohamed Hadj Yala: Finance
Abdelhamid Brahimi: Planning
Abderrazak Bouhara: Health
Abdelhaq Brehri: Higher Education & Scientific
Research
Mohamed Kharroubi: Primary & SecondaryEducation
Mouloud Oumeziane: Labor
Abdelhani Arbi: Commerce
Mohamed Zerguini: Posts & Telecommunications
Abdelmagid Aouchiche: Construction& Housing
Cherif Messadia: FormerCombatants
Baki Boualem: ReligiousAffairs
Djamal Houhou: Sports
Abdelmajid Allaoum: Tourism
Salah Goudzil: Transport
Lahcene Soufi:Justice
Abdelhamid Mehri: Information & Culture
Ahmed Houhab: State for Fisheries
Brahim Brahmia: State for Afforestation
Smail Hamdani: SecretaryGeneral [MEES)
March 26: Tunisian Premier Hedi Nouira met with
President Chadli Benjedid in Algeria. [FBISJ
April 17: Arab News cited "official sources" as say-
ing President Benjedid had pardoned 11 political
dissidents who had tried to assassinate the late
President Houari Boumedienne in the 1960's.
[AN]
April 30: Spanish Premier Adolfo Suarez arrived in
Algiers on a visit. [EN]
May 3: Nigerian Head of State Olusegun Obasanjo
and Malian Head of State Moussa Traore arrived
in Algiers to discuss the Sahara issue. [FBIS}
354 THE MIDDLE EAST JOURNAL
Bahrayn
(See also, Arab Israeli Conflict, Jordan, Qatar)
1979
Feb. 17: British Queen Elizabeth I1 left Bahrayn at
the end of a visit and was seen off at the airport by
Amir Shaykh 'Isa bin Salman Al Khalifah. [NYT}
March 8: Heir apparent Shaykh Hamad bin 'Isa Al
Khalifah returned to Bahrayn at the end of a visit to
Jordan. [FBIS)
March 13. Foreign Minister Shaykh Muhammad bin
Mubarak Al Khalifah returned to Manama at the end
of a tour of the UAA and Oman. [FBIS}
April 10: Lebanese Premier Sallm al-Huss met with
Amir Shaykh 'lsa in Manama. [FBIS)
April 23. UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim met
with Foreign Minister Shaykh Muhammad in Manama
and then left for Singapore. [FBIS}
Cyprus
1979
April 9: Foreign Minister of the "self-proclaimed"
"Turkish Federated State of Cyprus" Kenan Atakol
met with UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim in
Zurich. [AN)
April 13: President Spyros Kyprianou returned to
Cyprus at the end of a 5 day visit to Greece.
[AN)
Egypt
(See also, Arab Israeli Conflict, Oman)
1979
Feb. 17: Premier Mustafa Khalil was named to the
additional post of Foreign Minister. [FBIS}
'Abd al-Hamid Hasan was appointed Minister of
State for Youth and Sport. [FBIS)
March 29: President Anwar al-Sadat arrived in West
Germany to discuss economic aid with West German
Chancellor Helmut Schmidt. [NYT)
March 30: A West German spokesman said that
Chancellor Schmidt had assured President Sadat that
West Germany was prepared to provide Egypt with Feb. 20: Four generals were executed: Parvlz Amini-
additional economic aid but it preferred to offer funds
as part of a joint Western initiative. [NYT)
April 12: Sidat began a tour of Upper Egypt to
urge a favorable vote in a referendum on the peace
treaty with Israel and the dissolution of the People's
Assembly. [NYT]
April 21: Sadat dissolved Parliament and ordered new
elections in June. [NYT)
April 25: Roumanian President Nicolai Ceausescu left
Ismailia at the end of a visit to Egypt. [FBISJ
Iran
(See also, Arab Israeli Conflict, Petroleum Affairs,
Afghanistan, Iraq, United Arab Amirates)
1979
Feb. 16.' The state radio reported that revolutionary
forces had taken Tabriz from forces of former ruler
Muhammad Riza Shah Pahlavi after 3 days of heavy
fighting. [NYT]
A US spokesman said the US had notified Iran of
its "intention to maintain diplomatic relations" with
the new provisional government. [NYT)
The US protested to the Soviet Union against
Soviet broadcasts of "false accounts of United States
actions" in Iran. [NYT}
Feb. 17.' Premier of the provisional government
Mihdi Bazargan said Iran would export oil as soon as
possible "to all parts of the world, including the
United States." [NYT)
Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) leader
Yasir 'Arafat arrived in Tehran for talks with
religious leader Ayat Allah Riuh Allah Khumayni.
[NYT]
Feb. 18: Iran severed diplomatic relations with Israel.
[AN]
Feb. 19: PLO leader 'Arafat, joined by the Ayat
Allah's son, Ahmad Khumayni, opened PLO offices
in Tehran at the former Israeli legation. [NYT]
The following Ministers were appointed:
'Ali Ardalan: Finance
Asad Allah Mubishiri:Justice
Yad Allah Sahabi: State
Riza Sadr: Commerce
'Abbas Taj: Energy
'Ali Muh.ammadIzadi: Agriculture [NYT]
Referring to Iranian Marxist groups defying the
government, the Ayat Allah denounced the "evil
objectives" of a group of "bandits and unlawful
elements." [NYT]
The New York Times reported that junior officers
in Kazvin had forced Premier Bizargan to withdraw
the nomination of Ni'mat Allah Mutamidi as Air
Force Chief. [NYT)
Afshar, former Commander of the Imperial Guards;
Manuchihr Malik, former Commander of the Kazvin
armored division; Ni'mat Allah Mu'tamidi, former
martial law administrator of Kazvin, and Husayn
 CHRONOLOGY
Hamidanim, former chief of SAVAK. A govern-
ment spokesman said the provisional government
"knew nothing" of the executions. [NYT)
The US State Department said a wounded US
marine captured in an attack on the US Embassy
in Tehran by gunmen the week before was being
held by the Revolutionary Islamic Council of the
Ayat Allah. [NYT)
The jetliner on which the Shah had left Iran
was returned from Morocco. It was reported that the
crew had "hijacked" it back to Iran. [NYT)
Feb. 21: The People's Fida'iyin cancelled a march
through Tehran that was opposed by the Ayat
Allah. [NYT)
The government said a general stationed at
Mehabad in the Kurdish region had been wounded
by Kurdish rebels. [NYTI
A spokesman for the Kurds, Ayat Allah 'Izz
al-Din Husayn1, issued a list of demands to the
government. [NYT)
Authorities released the wounded US marine.
[NYTI
US Ambassador to Iran William Sullivan met with
Bazargan. [NYTI
Feb. 22: The following Ministers were appointed:
Ahmad Madan1:National Defense
'Ali Shari'atmadari:Science
Nasir Minachi: Information
Hasan Islami: Telecommunications
Ghulam Husayn Shukuh1:Education [NYT)
Feb. 23: The People's Fid'-iyin staged a rally in
Tehran. More than 70,000 people attended. [NYT}
Feb. 26: The International Commission of Jurists
called on the government to guarantee defense
rights to persons accused of crimes. [NYT}
Feb. 27.' Deputy Premier 'Abbas Amir Intizam said
rumors that Kurdish separatists were causing unrest
in Kurdistan Province were "totally baseless."
[NYTI
Feb. 28: Bazargan said that if anonymous komitehs
(committees) continued their activities, his govern-
ment would be forced to resign. [NYT}
The Swiss government decided to investigate
assets held by the Shah in Switzerland, but did
not freeze the assets as requested by Iran. [NYTI
March 1: The Ayat Allah arrived in Qum and was
greeted by hundreds of thousands of supporters.
[NYT]
More than 20 Americans who had been at an
electronic listening post near the Soviet border flew
out of Iran. The government said it did not know
the US was still operating the post. [NYT}
March 3.' The government devalued the rial and said it
would let it float on the free market. [NYT]
March 4: Iran broke diplomatic relations with South
Africa. [NYT)
March 5.' Two oil tankers began loading Iranian oil.
[NYT)
March 7. The Ayat AllIh said that women in govern-
ment ministeries "must be clothed according to re-
ligious standards." [NYTI
355
The Ayat Allah called the provisional government
"weak". [NYT]
The Shah said he had no intention of abdicating.
[NYTI
March 8: Bazargan travelled to Qum and met with the
Ayat Allih. It was reported that he had offered his
resignation during the meeting. [NYT)
About 6,000 women marched in Tehran to protest
clothing requirements for women. [NYT}
The director of the National Iranian Oil Company
said that Iran would restrict its oil output to half
what it produced under the Shah. [NYT]
March 9: The Ayat Allah said he had "full confidence"
in the provisional government. [NYT]
March 10: Women demonstrated in Tehran for the
third day against dress restrictions. About 15,000
people participated in one march. [NYT]
Pakistani Foreign Affairs Adviser Agha Shahi met
with Bazargan in Tehran. [FBIS]
March 1 1: Women demonstrated in Tehran for women's
rights. At least 4 demonstrators were stabbed by
opponents of the protests. [NYT}
March 12: About 15,000 women marched through
Tehran to protest for women's rights. [NYTI
The press reported that the Ayat Allah had
agreed that the chador was a voluntary and not a
required form of dress. [NYTJ
March 13: Iran announced it was withdrawing from
the Central Treaty Organization (CENTO). [MEED]
March 14: Bazargan spoke on television and called the
summary trials a "disgrace". [NYT]
Bazargan said that because the Ayat AllIh was
"kind, sensitive and good-hearted" he had been
persuaded to "issue proclamations and orders that
put us on the spot." [NYT]
Five policemen were executed. [NYTI
March 15. Prosecutors at the trial of former Premier
Amir 'Abbas Huvayda called for a sentence of
death. [NYT)
March 16: The New York Times reported that
Bazargan had met with the Ayat Allah in Qum the
night before. [NYT]
The Ayat Allah ordered a halt to summary
trials until new trial regulations could be drafted.
He required that future trials must be under the
"direct supervision" of the Revolutionary Islamic
Council and the provisional government. [NYTI
March 18: Fighting broke out in Sanandaj between
Kurdish tribesmen and Iranian troops. [NYT}
March 19. Fighting continued in Sanadaj. National
radio announced that a ceasefire had been reached.
[NYT]
March 20: Fighting continued in Sanandaj. [NYT]
March 21: Heavy fighting took place in Sanandaj.
Ayat Allah Mahmiud Talaghani was sent to mediate
the dispute. [NYT]
March 23: The Voice of the Revolution radio reported
that the army had released 167 Kurdish prisoners
in Sanandaj in return for a ceasefire. [NYT]
March 25: Former Premier Shahp-ur Bakhtiyar said
from hiding that Iran had "replaced an old dictator-
356 THE MIDDLE EAST JOURNAL
ship with a new one, plus disorder and anarchy."
[NYTI
The Kurd IbrThim Yuinisi was named provincial
governor general of Kurdistan. [NYT]
March 26: Newspapers reported that the remaining
Kurdish prisoners had been released by the army
in Sanandaj. [NYT)
March 27: Chief of Staff Muhammad Vall Qaranah re-
signed his post. [NYT]
Turkomans battled government forces in Gunbad-
i-Qawus. [NYTI
An army spokesman said that Nasir Farbud had
been named Chief of Staff. [AN]
March 28: The government announced a ceasefire for
Gunbad-i-Qawus but fighting between Turkomans
and government forces continued. [NYT]
The government offered assurances that a proposed
new constitution would pay special attention to ethnic
minorities. [NYTI
The US said that it had held informal dis-
cussions with Iran on buying back F-14 jet fighters
and Phoenix missiles that it had sold to Iran.
[NYT]
March 29: Fighting continued in Gunbad-i-Qawus.
Ayat Ailah TalaghanI flew to the town in a helicopter
but gunfire prevented a landing. [NYT]
It was reported that unrest was occurring among
Baluchi tribesmen in the eastern borders. [NYT]
March 30: Voters went to the polls in a referendum
to approve or reject the formation of an Islamic
republic. It was decided to extend the voting to
a second day. [NYT]
The Shah arrived in the Bahamas for a visit.
[NYT]
March 31: Voting ended in the referendum. [NYT]
A French official said that former Premier
Bakhtiyar was living in France. [NYT]
April 1: The Ayat Allah declared a victory in the
referendum and proclaimed April 1 "the first day of
a Government of God." [NYT]
Bazargan announced he would order "all law-and-
order forces" to take "positive action" unless fighting
in the Turkoman areas stopped the following day.
[NYT]
April 2: The government announced a ceasefire be-
tween Turkomans and government forces in Gunbad-
i-Qawus. [NYT]
April 5: New trial procedures for revolutionary courts
were announced. [NYT]
April 6: Three men were executed in Isfahan.
[NYT]
Middle East Economic Digest reported that Taqi
RiyThihad been appointed National Defense Minister
after the resignation of Ahmad Madani. [MEED]
April 7: Former Premier Huvayda was executed at
Qasr prison. [NYT]
April 9: Four people were executed. Among them
were former Labor and Social Affairs Minister
Manuchihr Azmuin and former Air Force Com-
mander Amir Husayn Rabi'i. [FBIS]
Tehran radio said that oil production had exceeded
4 million barrels a day for the first time since
December. [NYT]
April 10: Four men were executed. [NYTI
April 11: Eleven people were executed. Former
Foreign Minister 'Abbas 'All Khal'atbarl, former
SAVAK head Hasan Pakravan, former SAVAK
head Nasir Muqaddam and former Agriculture
Minister Mansur Ruhani were among those killed.
[NYTI
April 13: Two sons and a daughter-in-law of Ayat
Allah Talaghani were arrested by the Islamic militia
of the Ayat Allah and later released. [NYTI
Ten former officials of the Shah were executed.
[NYTI
The Shah issued a statement saying he was "shocked
and horrified" by the executions in Iran. [NYT]
April 14: Ayat Allah Talaghani went into hiding. It
was reported that he had done so to protest "the
way some committee members are doing things on
their own." [NYTI
April 15: Foreign Minister Karim Sanjabi resigned
his post to protest the actions of the komitebs.
[NYT]
April 17: Ayat AllIh Talaghini said he had retired
from politics so as "not to give a chance to dictator-
ship and despotism to return." [NYT]
Former Foreign Minister Sanjabi charged that
the Revolutionary Council set up by the Ayat Allah
was "despotic". [NYT]
About 50,000 people rallied near Tehran Uni-
versity to protest the arrest of the relatives of
Ayat AllIh Talaghini. [NYT}
April 18: Ayat Allah Talaghini met with the Ayat
Allah in Qum. Supporters of each of the religious
leaders demonstrated in Tehran. [NYT]
The Revolutionary Council broadcast a statement
praising Ayat Allah T5laghini. The statement said
the Islamic militia was "not completely under the
control of the Revolutionary Council." [NYT]
April 19: Ayat AllIh T-alaghanibroadcast a statement
saying he "accepted" the leadership of the Ayat
Allah and had "always approved" of his actions.
[NYT-
The Ayat AllIh said the komitehs must remain
"until the authority of the Government has been
established." [NYT]
April 20: Gunmen opened fire on a meeting of the
Kurdish Democratic Front Party in the town of
Naghadeh in Azerbaijan Province. [NYT]
It was announced that 3 more people had been
executed. [NYT -
Supporters of the Ayat AllIh attacked a head-
quarters of the Fida'iyin guerrillas in Abadan and
arrested 41 people. [NYT]
April 21: Fighting broke out between Kurdish and
Turkish minorities in Naghadeh. [NYT]
April 22: Fighting in Naghadeh intensified. Iran radio
said at least 70 people had been killed. Troops
were sent to the area but did not enter the town.
[NYT]
It was announced that Deputy Premier IbrThim
 CHRONOLOGY
Yazdi would oversee the Foreign Ministry on behalf
of Bazargan, who would be the official Foreign
Minister. [NYT)
April 23: Former Chief of Staff Qaranah was assassinated
in Tehran. The Furqan Fighters claimed respon-
sibility. [NYTI
Army troops moved into Naghadeh where fighting
continued. [NYT)
Ayat Allah Shaykh Muhammad Tahir Khaqan1,
religious leader of Arabs in Khuzistan Province,
threatened to leave Iran unless the power of the
komitehswas curbed. [NYTI
Thousands of people marched in Tabriz to protest
against an article published by a member of the
Revolutionary Komiteh that criticized Ayat Allah
KaizimShari'atmadiri. [NYT)
April 24: Cabinet changes were announced:
IbrThimYazdi: ForeignAffairs
Ijusayn Bani Asadi: Deputy Premier[NYTI
Ba.zargancriticized the komitehs and called for an
end to the "rule of revenge." [NYT]
April 25: A Kurdish spokesman accused the govern-
ment of complicity with the Turkish minority in
the Naghadeh area. Witnesses said the Iranian army
force sent to the area was composed of Iranian
Turks. [NYTI
It was announced that the militia of the komitehs
would be incorporated into a national police force.
[NYTI
April 26: Libyan Premier 'Abd al-Salam Jallud met
with the Ayat AllIh in Qum to discuss bilateral
relations. [NYTI
Representatives from Khuzistan Province de-
manded autonomy for Arabs in the province.
[NYTI
More than 100,000 people demonstrated in Khuzis-
tan Province in support of Ayat Allah Khaqnh1.[NYT]
April 28: A draft of the new Constitution was pub-
lished. [NYT)
May 1: Ayat AllIh Murtaza Mutaharri, a member of
the Revolutionary Council, was assassinatedin Tehran.
The Furqan Fighters claimed responsibility. [NYTI
May 3: Ayat Allah Mutaharri was buried in Qum.
[NYTI
May 5: Firing squads executed 4 people. [NYT]
May 6: The New York Times reported that the
Ayat Allah had ordered the formation of the
Revolutionary Guardians, a special armed force, to
be responsible to the Revolutionary Komiteh to
"protect the Islamic revolution." [NYT)
May 8: Firing squads executed 21 people. Among
those killed were former Majlis Speaker Javad
Sa'id, former Information Minister Muhammad
Riza Amali Tihraim and former Justice Minister
Ghulam Riza Khiyanpuir.[FBIS]
May 9: Firing squads executed 2 businessmen. One,
a Jew, was accused of raising money for Israel.
[NYT)
May 12: The newspaper Ayandegan ceased publication
after the Ayat AllIh called it "depraved". [NYT]
May 13: The Ayat AllIh decreed that only those who
357
had been "proven to have killed people" or who had
"issued orders for the killing of people" could be
sentenced to death. [NYT}
May 15: Journalists at the newspaper Kayhan walked
out to protest encroachments on press freedom.
[NYTI
Iraq
(See also, Arab Israeli Conflict, Petroleum Affairs,
Sudan, Syria, Yemen)
1979
Feb. 19: Iraq decided to expel 3 Swedish diplomats.
Sweden had expelled 3 Iraqi diplomats from its
territory 2 weeks earlier. [FBISJ
Feb. 20: Vice President Taha Muhyi al-Din Ma'riuf
left Baghdad for Warsaw, Poland. [FBIS]
Feb. 26: Vice President Ma'ruf left Budapest at the
end of a trip to Poland and Hungary. [FBIS]
March 1: Kurdish leader Mustafa Barzani died in exile
in Washington, aged 76. [NYT)
Bangladesh President Ziaur Rahman met with
President Ahmad Hasan al-Bakr in Baghdad. [FBIS]
March 5: Kurdish leader Barzani's body was flown to
Ushnuiyah in western Iran for burial. [NYTI
March 8: Yemeni President 'Ali 'Abdallah Salih met
with Iraqi leaders in Baghdad. [FBIS]
March 26: Jordanian King Husayn arrived in Baghdad
and met with President Bakr. [FBIS}
April 5: Lebanese Premier Salim al-Huss arrived in
Baghdad and met with Revolution Command Coun-
cil (RCC) Vice Chairman Saddam Husayn. [FBIS]
April 6. Saboteurs bombed nuclear equipment at an
industrial plant in France, destroying equipment that
was to go to Iraq. [NYT)
April 7: Bakr returned to Baghdad at the end of a
5 day visit to Saudi Arabia. [FBIS]
May 5: A republican decree relieved Transport
Minister MukarramJamal of his post. [FBISJ
May 8: The New York Times reported that France
had formally assured Iraq that it would replace the
nuclear reactor destroyed by saboteurs. [NYT]
Israel
(See also, Arab Israeli Conflict, Iran, Lebanon)
1979
March 18: The National Religious Party threatened
to resign from the Israeli government unless it
received assurance that Israel would retain control
over the West Bank and Gaza. [NYTI
358 THE MIDDLE EAST JOURNAL
March 19: Hundreds of thousands of Israelis stopped April 9: Liberian President William Tolbert arrived
work for 4 hours to protest government economic
policies. [NYT}
March 22: The honorary Israeli consul in El Salvador, April 11: Lebanese President Salim al-Huss met with
who had been kidnapped in January, was found
murdered in San Salvador. [JP)
April 4: Israeli policemen in the Negev began bull-
dozing without a legal permit on the property of
some bedouins. They beat some bedouin women
who tried to prevent the action. [NYTI
April 25: The Supreme Court issued an order
forbidding government expropriation of Bedouin
land in the Negev until local courts could review
the matter. [NYT)
Jordan
(See also, Arab Israeli Conflict, Bahrayn, Iraq,
Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia,
Syria, Yemen)
1979
March 6: Bahrayni heir apparent Shaykh Hamad bin April 4: Premier Salim al-Huss announced that Defense
'Isa Al Khalifah arrived in Amman on an official
visit. [FBIS]
March 8: Yemeni President 'Al, 'Abdallah Slih met
with King Husayn in Amman. [FBIS]
March 22: King Husayn returned to Aqaba at the
end of a 2 day visit to Saudi Arabia. [FBIS}
April 17: King Husayn returned to Amman at the
end of a tour of the UK, Austria, Spain and
Morocco. [FBIS}
Kuwayt
(See also, Arab Israeli Conflict, Petroleum Affairs,
South Yemen, United Arab
Amirates, Yemen)
1979
Feb. 28: Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)
leader Yasir 'Arafat met with Amir Shaykh Jabir
al-Ahmad Al Sabah in Kuwayt. [FBIS)
March 12: Guinea President Sekou Toure met with
Amir Shaykh Jabir in Kuwayt on bilateral rela-
tions. [FBIS}
March 27: Hamad Mubarak al-'Ayyar was appointed April 19: Huss accused Haddad of an "act of treason."
Electricity and Water Minister. [MEED}
March 28: Yemeni President 'Ali 'Abdallah Salih and
South Yemeni President 'Abd al-Fattah Ism-all
arrived in Kuwayt for a summit conference and April 20: Viktur Khuri- withdrew his resignation as
were met by Amir Shaykh Jabir. [AN]
in Kuwayt and was met by Amir Shaykh Jabir.
[FBIS)
Amir Shaykh Jabir in Kuwayt. [FBIS]
Lebanon
(See also, Arab Israeli Conflict, Iraq, Kuwayt,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia)
1979
Feb. 28: Saudi Arabia said it would withdraw its
contingent of Arab peacekeeping troops from
Lebanon. [NYT]
March 6: Fighting broke out between Syrian peace-
keeping troops and Christian militiamen in Beirut.
[NYT3
March 7: The UN headquarters in Jerusalem accused
Israeli officers of involvement in confrontations
between United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon
(UNIFIL) troops and Christian militia forces in
south Lebanon. [NYT)
Minister Viktur Kh iri had tendered his resignation
but that no decision had been taken on whether to
accept it or not. [AN]
April 5: Premier Huss returned to Beirut at the end
of a 1 day visit to Baghdad. [FBIS]
April 8: UAA President Shaykh Zayid bin Sultan
Al Nuhayyan announced that the UAA would
withdraw its contingent of peacekeeping troops from
Lebanon. [MEED)
April 12: Huss returned to Beirut at the end of a tour
of Gulf states and met with President Ilyas Sarkis.
[FBISI
April 17: Israeli Defense Minister Ezer Weizman met
with Christian militia leader Sa'd Haddad. Haddad
said differences of opinion existed between the
Israelis and the militia. [NYT)
A Lebanese Army battalion moved from Beirut to
Sidon for eventual deployment in the south along-
side UNIFIL troops. [NYT]
April 18: Haddad announced the creation of an
independent "Free Lebanon" in the areas of the
south under control of the Christian militias. [NYT)
Christian militiamen fired on UNIFIL troops in
the south, killing 1 soldier and wounding another.
[NYT]
Artillery fire was exchanged between Christian
militiamen and Palestinian guerrillas and between
Israel and the Palestinian guerrillas. [NYT)
[NYT}
Christian militia forces assaulted UNIFIL troop
headquarters at Naqura in the south. [JP}
Defense Minister. [AN]
 CHRONOLOGY
UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim assailed the
continued obstruction of UNIFIL troops from de-
ployment in south Lebanon. [NYT]
April 22: Fighting flared between Syrian peacekeeping
troops and Christian militiamen in Beirut. [NYT)
May 2: Syrian Foreign Minister 'Abd al-Halim Khaddam
met with President Sarkis in Ba'abda Palace.
[FBISJ
May 4: Lebanese villagers captured 4 UNIFIL soldiers
and later released them. [NYT)
May 6: Christian militiamen under Haddad shelled
2 villages in south Lebanon. [NYT]
May 13: Attackers wounded Member of Parliament
Amin Jumayil. [NYT]
May 15: Talks between Sarkis and Syrian President
Hafiz al-Asad ended in Damascus. The 2 leaders'
views were said to be "identical". [MEED]
It was announced that the Phalanges Party and
the National Liberal Party would merge. [MEED]
Libya
(Seealso, Arab Israeli Conflict, Petroleum Affairs, Iran)
1979
March 1: 'Abd al-'Ati al-'Ubaydi replaced Mu'ammar
al-Qadhdhafi as Secretary General of the General
People's Congress. [FBIS]
March 6: The government was formed as follows:
General Secretariat of the General People's
Congress:
'Abd al-'Ati al-'Ubaydil:SecretaryGeneral
Muhammad 'Abd al-Qasim al-Zuwwl: Assistant
SecretaryGeneral
'All Abuial-Khayr:Secretary for People'sCongressAffairs
'AbdalITh Zahmiul: Secretaryfor People's Committee
Affairs
Mukhtar Qurbu':Secretary for Trades Union, Vocational
& AssociationsAffairs
General People's Committee:
Jadallah 'Azzuiz al-Tallhi:SecretaryGeneral
'Abd al-Majid al-Qu'id:justice
Miftah al-Usta 'Umar: Health
'Izz al-Din al-Mabruik:Petroleum
Muh,ammadal-Manqiush:Housing
Abut Bakr al-Sharif: Economy
Muhammad al-Zar5q Rajab: Treasury
Muhammad Ahmad al-Sharif: Education
'Umar Ahmad al-Maqsil:Light Industry
Juma' al-Arbash: Electricity
Nuiri al-Fitu-rial-Madani: Communications
Abiu Zayid 'Umar Duirdah:Municipalities
Miftah Ku'aybah: Sports
'All 'Abd al-Salam al-Turayki: ForeignAffairs
MutsaAhmad Abu- Furwah: Planning
Bashir Ja'udah: Land Reclamation& Agrarian Reform
'Umar Mustafa al-Muntasir: Heavy Industry
359
Muh.ammadal-Zuwwayi: Information
'Abdallah al-Mabruik:Civil Service
Ibrahim Hasan: Social Security [MEED]
March 27: Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere said
that Libya had threatened to declare war on Tan-
zania if it did not withdraw its troops from
Uganda within 24 hours. [NYT]
April 1: Head of State Qadhdhifi returned to Tripoli
at the end of a 2 day visit to Malta. [FBIS]
April 5: The New York Times reported that Libyan
troops supporting Ugandan President Idi Amin had
fled Kampala. [NYT}
Tanzania said that a Libyan plane had bombed
Tanzanian territory 2 days earlier. [NYT}
April 7: The New York Times cited "diplomatic
sources" as saying Libya had evacuated its troops
from all of Uganda. [NYT]
April 9: Rumanian President Nicolae Ceausescu left
Libya at the end of a 1 day visit. [FBIS]
May 5: Sudanese Vice President al-Rashld al-Tahir
Bakr arrived in Tripoli and met with Qadhdhifi.
[FBIS]
May 7: An economic and technical cooperation agree-
ment with Sudan was signed in Tripoli. [MEED]
Morocco
(See also, Arab Israeli Conflict, Jordan)
1979
Feb. 16: King Hasan ended a visit to Paris during
which he had held talks with French President
Valery Giscard d'Estaing on the Sahara question.
[MEED]
March 8: King Hasan announced that a National
Defense Council would be set up to deal with
Western Sahara. [MEED]
March 9: Morocco broke diplomatic relations with
Ethiopia and recalled its Ambassador from Syria to
protest recent support given by the 2 nations to the
Polisario Front. [NYT]
March 21: Premier Ahmad Osman submitted his
resignation. [FBIS]
March 22: King Hasan appointed Maata Bouabid
Premier. [FBIS]
March27: King Hasan received the following Ministers:
Maati Bouabid: PremierandJustice
Mohamed Boucetta: State for Foreign Affairs &
Cooperation
Mahjoubi Aherdane: Statefor Posts & Communications
Mohamed Bhanini: Statefor Cultural Affairs
Mohamed Douiri: Equipment& National Development
Ahmed Ramzi: Endowments& Islamic Affairs
Mohamed Haddou Chiguer: ParliamentaryRelations
Abdellatif Ghissassi: Agriculture & Agrarian Reform
Driss Basri: Interior
Abdelkamel Reghay: Finance
Azzeddine Laraki:National Education & Training
360 THE MIDDLE EAST JOURNAL

Arsalan al-Jadidi: Work & VocationalTraining

Abdelhafiz Kadiri: Youth & Sports
Abdallah Gharnit: Social Affairs and Traditional
Industries
Abbas al-Fassi: Housing & Territorial Management
Benali Mansouri: Administrative Affairs
Mohand Nacer: Transport
Rahhal Rahhali: Health
Moussa Saadi: Energy & Minerals
Azzeddine Jassous: Commerce& Industry
Abdelssalem Znined: Tourism
Abdelwahid Belakziz: Information
AbdellatifJouhari: Minister Delegateto the Parliament
Abbas Kissi: Secretary General to the Government
[FBIS]
March 27: The National Defense Council was formed:
Ahmad Osman, Dey Ould Sidi Baba, Hachmi
Filali, Abdelkarim Ghallab, Abdelrahman Bouabid,
Abdelwahad Radi, Mohammad Haddou Abarkach,
Mohammad Khattabi, Ali Yata and Achour Bekkay.
[MEED]
April 12: Zairian President Mobutu Sese Seko arrived
in Rabat for talks with Moroccan leaders. [FBISI
French Foreign Minister Jean-Fransois Poncet ar-
rived in Morocco for talks. [FBISJ
April 15: Jordanian King Husayn arrived in Rabat
for a private visit and talks with King Hasan on
the Middle East situation. [NYT}
May 3: Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Fahd met with
King Hasan in Morocco. [FBIS]
Mauritanian Premier Ahmed Ould Bouceif said
Mauritania was willing to start talks with the
Polisario Front concerning Western Sahara. [NYT)
May 5: Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and
Malian President Moussa Traore met with King
Hasan in Fez. [FBIS]
May 8. The Islamic Foreign Ministers Conference
opened in Fez. [AN]
Oman
(See also, Arab Israeli Conflict, Petroleum
Affairs, Bahrayn)
1979
Feb. 28: British Queen Elizabeth II arrived in Muscat
on the last leg of a tour of Gulf states. [AN]
March 2: British Queen Elizabeth II ended a visit
to Oman. [AN]
April 9: Egyptian Vice President Husni Mubarak met
with Sultan Qibus bin Saild. [FBIS]
April 22: The first Ambassador from the People's
Republic of China arrived in Muscat. [FBIS)
April 25: Egyptian Vice President Mubirak arrived April 8: The government denied that it was trying to
in Muscat and met with Sultan Q-abus.[FBIS)
May 8: Sultan Qibuis said there were no Egyptian April 15: The Pakistan National Alliance withdrew
troops in the Sultanate and there was no intention
to invite any such troops to Oman. [FBIS]
Pakistan
(See also, Arab Israeli Conflict,
Afghanistan, Iran)
1979
Feb. 22: The Christian ScienceMonitor reported that 6
foreign correspondents had been charged with con-
tempt for writing about the Supreme Court decision
upholding the death sentence against former Presi-
dent Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. [CSMJ
Feb. 25: The Supreme Court gave government of-
ficials 4 weeks to say why they should not be held
guilty of contempt for publishing accusations against
former President Bhutto while he was appealing a
death sentence. [NYTI
March 12: Pakistan withdrew from the Central Treaty
Organization (CENTO). [NYTI
March 24: The Supreme Court dismissed a petition on
behalf of Bhutto asking that the rejection of his
appeal be reconsidered. [NYT)
March 25: Prison officials served Bhutto a warrant
notifying him that the death sentence would be
carried out within 7 days. [NYT]
March 26: Prison officials removed all comforts,
including the bed, from Bhutto's jail cell, and
cut off his electricity. [NYT)
March 27: Pakistan signed an agreement with France
to buy 32 Mirage jet interceptors. [NYT)
March 29: The High Court of Sind rejected a petition
on behalf of Bhutto challenging the legality of
constitutional changes introduced under martial law.
[NYTI
March 31: The Pakistani People's Party filed an appeal
to President Mohammad Zia-ul-Haq to spare Bhutto's
life. [NYT)
April 1: It was disclosed that a half sister of Bhutto
had appealed on his behalf against his wishes for
clemency. [NYT)
April 3: Police in Sind Province said raids on
3 houses owned by Bhutto had recovered "secret
documents of an extremely sensitive nature." [NYT)
April 4: Bhutto and 4 other men were executed in
Rawalpindi. [NYT}
April 5: Demonstrations against the executions took
place in Rawalpindi, Lahore, Karachi and other
cities. Hundreds of arrests were made. [NYT)
April 6: The US cut off economic and military
assistance to Pakistan after it concluded that Pakistan
was building a plant to produce weapons-grade
enriched uranium. [NYT}
April 7: Demonstrations against the executions were
held. In some cities anti-Bhutto demonstrators clashed
with his supporters. [NYT)
develop nuclear weapons. [NYT)
from the government, saying its objectives had
been achieved. [NYT)
 CHRONOLOGY
April 21: A new Cabinet was sworn in:
Mir Ali Ahmed Talpur: Defense
Faiez Ali Chisti: Labor & Manpower, Petroleumand
Northern Areas & Kashmir Affairs
Inamul Haq: Housing & Works, Water & Power
Ghulam Hassan Khan: Production& Industries
Ghulam Ishaq Khan: Finance, Deputy Chairman of
Planning Commissionand Provincial Coordinator&
Commissioner
Muhammad Ali Khan: Education
Fazil Janjua: Food, Agricultureand Cooperatives
Mahmud Haroon: Interior, Religious Affairs and
Minority Affairs
Jamal Syed Mian: Railways and Local Government
& Rural Development
Sharifuddin Pirzada: Attorney General, Law &
ParliamentaryAffairs
Mohyuddin Baluch: Communications
Javed Hashmi: Culture & Tourism
Shamid Hamed: Information & Broadcasting
Hamid Habib: State for Export Development
Mahmud Ali: State for National Council of Social
Affairs
Agha Shahi: Adviserfor ForeignAffairs
M. Afzal: Adviserfor Higher Education
Muazzam Ali: Adviserfor OverseasPakistani Affairs
Hakim Mohammad Syed: Health
Begum Waqarun Nisa Noon: Chairman of Pakistan
Tourism DevelopmentCorporation[FBIS]
Qatar
(See also, Arab Israeli Conflict)
1979
Feb. 21: British Queen Elizabeth II arrived in Qatar
and was met by Amir Shaykh Khalifah bin Hamad
Al Thini. [AN]
March 1. Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)
leader Yasir 'Arafit arrived in Doha and met with
Amir Shaykh Khalifah. [FBIS]
March 14: A Jordanian airliner crashed in Qatar
during a thunderstorm, killing 45 people. [NYTI
April 9: Lebanese Premier Salim al-Huss met with
Amir Shaykh Khallfah in Doha. [FBISJ
April 23: Turkish Foreign Minister Gunduz Okzun
arrived in Doha on a 2 day visit to Qatar.
[FBIS]
May 3. Qatar announced a revaluation of the riyal
by 2% as of May 15. [FBISJ
May 11: Middle East Economic Digest reported that
the UAA and Bahrayn had suspended their currency
exchange arrangements with Qatar following the
Qatari revaluation. [MEED}
361
SaudiArabia
(See also, Arab Israeli Conflict, Petroleum Affairs,
Iraq, Lebanon, Morocco)
1979
Feb. 24: South Yemeni Foreign Minister Muhammad
Salih Mutd' arrived in Riyadh, met with Foreign
Minister Sa'uid al-Faysal, and returned to South
Yemen. [FBIS)
Feb. 26: Greek Premier Constantine Karamanlis met
with Crown Prince Fahd and other Saudi officials
in Saudi Arabia. [FBIS]
Feb. 28: Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)
leader Yasir 'Arafat met with King Khalid in
Saudi Arabia. [FBIS}
March 4: Saudi Arabian delegate to the UN Jamil
Murad Bartudidied, aged 73. [NYT]
March 10: Guinean President Sekou Tour6 met with
King Khalid in Jiddah. [FBISJ
March 21: Jordanian King Husayn began a 2 day visit
to Saudi Arabia for talks with King Khalid on the
Middle East situation. [FBIS]
March 25. It was announced that Crown Prince
Fahd had arrived in Spain and been admitted to a
hospital for a medical examination. [FBIS]
April 1. Lebanese Premier Sallm al-Huss arrived in
Riyadh on a visit. [FBIS)
April 29: The New York Times quoted Prince 'Abdallah
as saying that all Saudi leaders were "united in
opinion, spirit, objective and perspective." [NYT]
May 12: Yemeni President 'Ali 'Abdallah Salih
arrived in Riyadh and met with King Khalid.
[FBIS]
May 13. Crown Prince Fahd met with French
President Val6ry Giscard d'Estaing in Paris. [AN]
May 14: Crown Prince Fahd met with West German
Chancellor Helmut Schmidt in Bonn. [AN)
SouthYemen
(See also, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Yemen)
1979
March 30: Chairman of the Presidium 'Abd al-
Fattah Ismaill returned to Aden from a summit con-
ference in Kuwayt. [FBISJ
April 7: Foreign Minister Muhammad aliih.Muti' left
South Yemen for Addis Abada and met with Ethiopian
Head of State Mengistu Haile Mariam. [FBIS)
April 13: Premier 'Ali Nisir Muhammad left Damascus
for Bulgaria at the end of a 1 day visit to Syria.
[FBIS]
362 THE MIDDLE EAST JOURNAL
Sudan
(Seealso,ArabIsraeliConflict,Libya)
1979
March27: PresidentJa'faral-Numayrileft Sudan for
the United Kingdomfor recuperation.[FBIS]
April 15: President Numayri returned to Khartoum
at the end of a vacationto the UK. [NYT]
April23: Numayriannouncedthat Sudanhad broken
diplomaticrelations with Iraq to protest that Iraq
was "unleashingrumors"about Sudanand failingto
deliveroil. [AN]
RumanianPresidentNicolae Ceausescuarrivedin
Khartoumand was met by Numayri.[FBIS]
April 24: Iraq broke diplomaticrelationswith Sudan
underthe "principleof reciprocity."[FBIS]
Syria
(Seealso,ArabIsraeliConflict,Lebanon,Morocco,
South Yemen, Yemen)
1979
Feb. 24: Iraqi oil began flowing from Kirkuk to the
Mediterraneanport of Banias.[JP]
Feb.27: Greek PremierConstantineKaramanlis arrived
in Damascusand met with PresidentHafiz al-Asad.
[FBIS)
March8: Yemeni President'All 'Abdallafh Slih arrived
in Damascusfor talkswith PresidentAsad.[FBISJ
March20: Foreign Minister'Abd al-HalimKhaddim
arrivedin Londonon an officialvisit. [FBISI
March24: Soviet Foreign MinisterAndrei Gromyko
arrivedin Damascusfor talks with Syrian leaders.
[NYTI
March26: JordanianKing IHusaynmet with Asad in
Damascus.[FBIS)
A PanAmericanWorldAirwaysplanewasordered
to land in Damascusand later allowed to resumeits
flight. Syria accused the pilot of violating its air-
space.[NYT)
April12: SouthYemeni Premier'AriNisir Muhammad
arrivedin Damascusand met with Asad. [FBIS]
Tunisia
(See also, Arab Israeli Conflict, Algeria)
1979
May 6: PresidentHabib Bourguibaleft Tunisiaon a
trip to Parisfor medicaltreatment.[FBIS)
Turkey
(Seealso,Qatar,United ArabAmirates)
1979
Feb.25: Parliamentvoted to extend martiallaw in 13
provincesfor 2 months.[MEED]
March 16: The Secretary General of the Central
Treaty Organization(CENTO) said he was taking
steps to dissolve the allianceat the request of the
Turkishgovernment.[NYT]
The governmentdisclosedthe firststageof a "com-
prehensiveeconomicrescueprogram."[NYT]
April 5: Five people, including 2 policemen, were
killed in various parts of the country in political
acts of violence. [NYTJ
April 6: Guerrillasof the TurkishPeople's Liberation
Partyattackeda police station and killed 2 officers
but failed to free a comrade jailed at the station.
[NYT]
April 10: Turkey devalued the lira 6% against the
dollar.[AN]
April 11: Finance Minister Zia MuezzinoAluarrived
in Zurich for talks on Western financialassistance.
[AN]
April 12: Gunmen killed an American serviceman
and woundedanotherin Izmir.[NYT]
April13: Terroristskilled a studentin Adana.[NYT]
April 23: Three deputies in the National Assembly
fromeasternprovincesresignedfromthe Republican
People's Partysaying that the eastern regions were
being neglected.[NYT]
May 7: US Deputy Secretaryof State WarrenChris-
topher arrivedin Ankarafor talks on the use of US
militarybasesin Turkey.[NYT]
May 11: Terroristsshot 2 US servicemenin a suburb
of Istanbul, killing 1 of them. A Marxist group,
the Turkish People's LiberationFront, claimed re-
sponsibility.[NYT]
May 14: Turkey said it would permit US U-2 recon-
naissanceflights in Turkish air space for SALT II
treaty verificationonly if such permission"concurs
with the understandingof the partiesof the treaty."
[NYT]
United Arab Amirates
(Seealso,ArabIsraeliConflict,Bahrayn,
Lebanon,Qatar)
1979
Feb. 23: Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)
leader Yasir 'Arifat arrived in Abui Dhabi from
Tehran and met with President ShaykhZaiyidbin
SultanAl Nuhayyan.[FBIS]
Feb. 24: British Queen ElizabethlI arrived in Abui
Dhabi and was met by President Shaykh Ziyid
 CHRONOLOGY
and Vice President Shaykh Rashid bin Sa'id Al
Makt-um.[NYT]
Feb. 26: British Queen Elizabeth flew to Dubayy.
[AN]
March 5: Guinean President Ahmed Sekou Toure
arrived in Abui Dhabi and was met by President
Shaykh Zayid. [FBIS]
March 19: The Supreme Council met for the first
time in 2 years. An official memorandum calling
for the acceleration of unification measures was
submitted to the Council. [AN]
March 27: The Supreme Council met in Abui Dhabi.
Dubayy and Ra's al-Khaymah did not attend the
meeting. [AN]
March 28: Vice President Shaykh Rashid rejected a
memorandum that had been submitted to the
Supreme Council that called for steps toward greater
unification of the 7 Amirates. [AN]
April 2: Zairian President Mobutu Sese Seko left
Abiu Dhabi at the end of a 2 day official visit.
[FBIS}
April 4. Kuwayti Foreign Affairs Minister Shaykh
Sabah al-Ahmad Al Sabah had talks in the UAA
with Shaykh Zayid and Shaykh Rishid. [MEED]
April 8: Lebanese Premier Salim al-Huss met with
President Shaykh Zayid. [FBIS]
April 21: Turkish Foreign Minister Gunduz Okzun
arrived in Abui Dhabi for talks with UAA leaders.
[FBIS]
April 22: Kuwayti Foreign Minister Shaykh Sabah met
with Shaykh Zayid in Abu Dhabi. [AN]
April 25: The Cabinet resigned. [FBISJ
April 30: Vice President Shaykh Rashid was appointed
Premier. [AN]
Yemen
(See also, Arab Israeli Conflict, Iraq, Jordan,
Kuwayt, Saudi Arabia, Syria)
1979
Feb. 24: It was reported that Yemen and South Yemen
had fought border clashes during the day. Each ac-
cused the other of starting the hostilities. [NYT}
Feb.25: Yemen requested a meeting of the Arab League
Council to discuss the "flagrantaggression" by "Aden's
Marxist rulers." [NYT]
Feb. 26: A Foreign Ministry spokesman said South
Yemeni forces were "expanding their aggression"
and had succeeded in overrunning and destroying
villages and cities on the border." [FBISJ
The US said it was sending more than $100m
in arms to Yemen. [NYT]
South Yemen said it had captured the Yemeni
border town of Harib. [NYT]
Feb. 27: South Yemen accepted offers of mediation in
its dispute with Yemen. [NYT]
Feb. 28: Saudi Arabia placed its troops on alert and
called for an emergency meeting of Arab League
Foreign Ministers to discuss the fighting in Yemen.
[NYT]
363
March 2: It was announced that Yemen and South
Yemen had agreed to a ceasefire to begin the
following day. [NYT]
March 3: Yemen radio reported that renewed fighting
had broken out despite the ceasefire. [NYTJ
March 4: Representatives of Arab League members
convened a Foreign Ministers meeting in Kuwayt to
deal with the fighting between the 2 Yemens.
INYTI
March 5: The Arab League Foreign Ministers meeting
in Kuwayt accepted a plan submitted by Syria and
Iraq to end the fighting in Yemen. [NYT}
March 6: The Arab League Foreign Ministers meeting
called for an immediate ceasefire and withdrawal
in Yemen. An international committee was set up to
supervise a peace plan. [NYT]
US officials said that President Jimmy Carter had
decided to send an aircraft carrier task force to
the Arabian Sea to demonstrate concern for the
conflict in Yemen. [NYTI
March 8: President 'All 'Abdallah Salih returned to
Sana'a' at the end of a tour of Iraq, Syria and
Jordan. [FBIS}
March 9. An Arab League delegation arrived in
Yemen to implement the peace plan. [NYT]
March 11: South Yemen accused the US of military
aggression and intervention in the conflict in
Yemen. [NYT}
March 14: The US Defense Department said that US
'training teams" would not be involved in combat
zones. [NYTI
March 16: The South Yemeni Chief of Staff arrived
in San'a' for peace talks. [NYT}
March 17. Soldiers from the 2 Yemens began with-
drawing to pre-combat positions. [NYT]
March 21: The Cabinet was reshuffled as follows:
Muhammad Ahmad al-Junayd: Deputy Premier for
Financial & EconomicAffairs
Mujahid Abiu Shawarib: Deputy Premierfor Domesti'
Affairs
Muhammad KhamIs:Interior
'Abd al-Karim al-Iryani:Agriculture
Lutf al-Kilabi: State & Advisorfor InformationAffairs
Husayn 'AbdallIh al-'Amri: Foreign Affairs
Yah,ya Husayn al-'Arashi:Information & Culture
Husayn 'All al-Hubayshi: State & Advisor to Presidency
& Cabinet
Ahmad al-Muhann1:Municipalities [FBIS]
March 21: 'Abd al-Majid al-Asnaj was appointed Politi-
cal Adviser to the President. [FBISI
March 26: South Yemeni Foreign Minister Muh.ammad
Slih Muti' met with President Silih in San'a'.
[FBISJ
March 28. Salih and South Yemeni Chairman of the
Presidium Abd al-Fattah Ismall met in Kuwayt to
discuss the normalization of relations between the 2
countries. Kuwayti Amir Shaykh Jabir al-Ahmad
Al Sabah attended the meeting. [FBIS}
March 30: The leaders of Yemen and South Yemen
agreed in Kuwayt on a timetable to unite their
countries. [NYTI
April 8: South Yemeni Planning Minister 'Abd al-
'Aziz Abd al-Wall met with Salih in San'a'. [FBISJ