Another BIG discovery in the Saddam documents today. This one, dated Jan 23rd 2003, is written by the Assistant of the Iraqi Intelligence Director to the Director. In it is details about the fact that the Chinese government had learned of the WMD movement to Syria:
Beginning of the Translation of 4 pages report in document ISGZ-2004-028179
In the Name of God the Most Compassionate The Most Merciful
The Republic of Iraq
The Intelligence Apparatus
The respectful Mr Director of the Apparatus
Subject: The Frenchman Le Floch and the German Dieter Holzer
In the date of 10/1/2003 the two mentioned above arrived to the country in visit for two days only and they did during their stay with the following activities:
1. They met with the deputy of the Industry and minerals ministry and they spoke with him about the possibility of building the non working factories since the year 1991 and provide the country with the spare parts that the ministry needs in the domain of industry.
2. They met with Mr. Ghazi Faysal the chairman of the department First Political Department in the foreign ministry and they spoke with him about the following subjects:
A. The German Holtzer confirmed that Chancellor Shroeder does not like the Leader President but he still oppose the war and it is because of his stand on this he won the latest elections and in case his stand changes this will lead to his loss of the Chancellery and that he hot replacement is ready to win the position and he is the economy minister the German Clement from the ruling Socialist German Party.
B. He mentioned that a meeting in Beijing in the beginning of this month was held between the Prime minister of China and the German Chancellor Schroeder in the occasion of the opening project for the fast train and the latter was asked about the information that was obtained by the Chinese intelligence and it says that Iraq has moved his mass of destruction weapon to Syria and the German Chancellor told him that the German intelligence did not indicate this. And after two days the US state secretary went to Damascus to check on this with the Syrian government that in turn denied this news..
C. He suggested the idea of bringing the Pope John Paul II to visit the country because this visit cause Bush Junior to lose his balance and that he has good relation with the originally German (Ratzinger) in the Vatican and that the latter has influence through waving the card of the financial support that Germany give to the Vatican and it is estimated to be (around 6 billions dollars yearly).
D. He indicated that Chirac became a honorary President of Europe not through elections but through popularity since most of the countries of Europe oppose the war but this man is not courageous and he needs the support of Iraq and for example present what proves that his weapons of mass destruction were destroyed.
C. He express the readiness of French and German companies to execute projects in Iraq as long as the necessary moneys are guaranteed to execute these projects because its revenue decreased lately due the decrease of oil exports.
3.In our meeting with the German Holzer he spoke about the following subjects:
A. He was shown a secret report prepared by the French Army Chief of Staff who presented to Jacques Chirac warning him of the losses that the French troops suffered in Spain and Germany during Napoleon campaigns because the participation of France in the possible war against Iraq will let her suffer huge human losses because it is impossible getting the Iraqi President by aerial bombing and that the entering in street fights will be a disaster for them
B. He intend to buy a residential house in Baghdad under the name of his wife where as his wife is Palestinian and that he visited one of the houses in Arsat and he paid the house own (150) 150 thousand dollars but the latter asked for 300 thousand dollars.
4. Opinion:
A. There phone has been wiretapped for surveillance and they were followed and also the there was phone wiretap of the Syrian Jamal Saba for surveillance because they vist him and to control their relations and we will show the results later.
B. The Paris station informed us that they were coming to the country to prepare for a visit by the ex-German economy minister with a delegation of German companies to the country for commercial purposes and their visit to the country was shortened because this is not the first time we have doubts about their real intentions toward the country.
C. We prpose to continue in following them inside the country and direct the Paris station with the necessity to put them under an operation of check up and verification and observe their connections.
For your review Yours? with regards
The Assistant for the Director of Intelligence
23/1/2003
With friends like these.
So we have the Chinese telling the Germans that Iraq had moved it’s WMD’s to Syria, and then Germans telling the Chinese that it was not true.
Which version do you think the left will believe?
UPDATE
Recall that Colin Powell went on a trip to Syria on May 2nd, 2003:
DAMASCUS, Syria (CNN) — U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell arrived in Damascus on Friday for talks with President Bashar Assad of Syria, which the United States has called a “rogue state.” ………
…..”From Tirana, the secretary flew to Damascus, which has been under U.S. pressure since the fall of the regime in Baghdad. Officials said Powell hopes to have a “full and candid” conversation with Assad and other Syrian leaders.
President Bush has accused Syria of harboring Saddam’s henchmen and developing weapons of mass destruction.
Powell has threatened sanctions against the country but also has said there are no immediate plans to expand the war in Iraq to Syria. Syria denies the allegations from Washington. “
And then during a interview shortly after he returned he stated that Syria denied any knowledge of where Saddam’s WMDs were:
MR. SCHIEFFER: Mr. Secretary, you remember before all of this started, you went before the United Nations and talked about weapons of mass destruction. You said, “We had evidence that large scores of these weapons were there.” Nobody has found them yet. Did you get any information while you were there about that?
SECRETARY POWELL: Not from the Syrians, no. And they say that they have taken in no weapons of mass destruction from Iraq. Their position is that they think it unlikely that Saddam Hussein would have trusted them with such weapons. Nevertheless, we will continue to watch carefully, and any information or indications we have, we will follow up on them. I am still confident that weapons of mass destruction will be found.
You have to keep in mind, however, that when we passed UN Resolution 1441 on a vote of 15 to zero, just voting for that resolution signs you up to the proposition that Iraq was not coming clean, with respect to their weapons of mass destruction programs. They were found guilty in that resolution, all 15 members of the Security Council who voted for it, guilty of having thwarted the role of the United Nations for 12 years, with respect to answering questions with — concerning the weapons of mass destruction programs.
When we said things such as, “What happened to all of the anthrax material you had? What happened to the botulinan toxics? Explain the discrepancies that exist.” They refused to do so. Now whether we ever find that amount of material, or are able to resolve the discrepancies, remains to be seen. But I am absolutely sure that they had weapons of mass destruction, and I am sure we will find them. And it was the judgment of the United Nations when that resolution was passed that we all believe the same thing.
UPDATE II
Some more of the document has been translated by Jveritas:
In another part of the document ISGZ-2004-028179 the Iraqi diplomat in Paris has a secret report about the Frenchman Loik Le Floch and his strong connection and influence over top level French official and French policy maker. This Le Floch is the Iraqi main connection and lobbyist to the French government. You can see in this letter the great interest of the French in Iraqi oil.
Here is some partial translation about Le Floch from the secret Iraqi intelligence report dated 25/11/2002:
Beginning of the Translation:
In the Nmae of God the Most Merciful The Most Compassionate
Secret
To the Foreign Ministry/ The Minister Office
The Frenchman Loik Le Floch
Following up on our letters 351 on 8/9 and 368 on 13/9 and 389 on 23/9 and 427 on 17/10 and 440 on 24/10 below is the following:
1.Upon his return from Iraq in his first visit on 5/7/2002 the counselor of French President Jacques Chirac and officials in the French foreign ministry called him and discussed with him the results of his visit to the country and the possible capabilities to develop the relations in the domain of OIL in Iraq, he confirmed to them the importance of developing the relation with Iraq in all domains including the OIL domain.
2. On the date of 5/9/2002 he met important personalities in the German parties an he confirmed to them the importance of standing with Iraq and he relate to them the same vision shown in the previous paragraph (1) that he related to the French officials ( we previously notified you with this according to letter 251 on 8/9)
3. In the date of 10/9 he met with on of the counselor of the German Chancellor Schroder and he informed him that the latter explained to President during their meeting in Germany from the risks of going behind the American position because their help to her will have dangerous implications on the world and he asked the French President not take any position without consulting with him (You were notified with this according to our letter 368 on 13/9).
4. He learned from his German friends that Chancellor Schroder convinced the French President to take a clear position from any American aggression against Iraq either by using his right for Veto against any new resolution that adopt the American point of view or continuing to refuse the principle of using power (You were notified with this according to our letter 427 on 17/10).
5. After his last visit to Iraq in 27/9 he was met by us and his meeting with Mr. Foreign minister and Mr. Oil minister left a positive effect and he started to defend Iraq and in a big way whether in his meetings with French and German officials or his interview with the TV channels an he confirmed that necessity of standing up against the American domination and he was convinced that his relation with us is best for him in light fo you arranging a meeting with Mr. Oil minister and he try now to distance himself from Saad Al Jader.
6. The German personality that he has strong relation with is the German Dieter Hans Halzer and who visited Iraq last Thursday (our subject letter 440 on 24/10).
7. It is possible to take advantage of the mentioned in the current moment by sending him to meet any personality whether in the Elysee Palace or the French Foreign ministry or the Prime ministry in addition of sending him to Germany when you see that to get her position. Your caring of him during his visit to the country will strengthen our relation with him and his influential and important personality in the French medium. He will be one of the important sources that through it we will penetrate the most important French institutions that fall within the goals mentioned in our annual report.
Please view? Regards
Signature?
24/11/2002
It appears that many of us were correct in our assumption that both Germany and France violated the UN sanctions to get oil
See author page
WMDs? What WMDs? Please, Curt, repeat after me: “No matter the evidence, there are no WMDs.” Soon, you’ll feel so comfortable saying this, you’ll almost believe it.