Geneva Meeting on Persian Gulf Crisis

Iraqi Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz spoke to reporters following his meeting with U.S. Secretary of State James Baker, widely considered to be the final chance for a peaceful resolution of the Persian Gulf crisis. He said that despite the failure of results, the meeting went well: each side was able to declare and explain its position. Mr. Aziz said that Iraq would not launch a first strike in a Gulf war, but that if Iraq were attacked by U.S. or U.S. allied forces, it would launch an immediate attack upon Israel. His country was preparing for war, and said the only hope for peace would be a meeting between Arab states which would produce a solution to be presented to the United Nations. Mr. Aziz said that Mr. Baker refused an “Arab solution,” and that the letter from President Bush to Saddam Hussein was unacceptable as it was not worded in language suitable for correspondence between heads of state. close