IRAQ: DEFECTOR HUSSEIN KAMEL ALMAJID RETURNS TO BAGHDAD UPDATE скачать в хорошем качестве

IRAQ: DEFECTOR HUSSEIN KAMEL ALMAJID RETURNS TO BAGHDAD UPDATE

(21 Feb 1996) Arabic/Eng/Nat The most senior Iraqi official ever to defect from Saddam Hussein's government has returned to Iraq. Lieutenant General Hussein Kamel Al-Majid went into exile in Jordan six months ago, vowing to topple the Iraqi leader, who's also his father-in-law. Iraq's state run TV announced yesterday that Saddam had allowed Al-Majid to return after the defector pleaded for a pardon. Lieutenant General Hussein Kamel Al-Majid, seen here sitting second from the right, defected to Jordan with his brother Colonel Saddam Kamel and their wives, both daughters of Saddam Hussein. That was six months ago and Al-Majid vowed to topple Saddam. But instead of garnering support, he was shunned by Iraqi dissidents and ignored by Arab and western governments who viewed him with suspicion. Then yesterday Iraqi TV announced that al-Majid had sought and been granted a pardon by Saddam. Al-Majid fell out with King Hussein in November over Hussein's suggestion of a federation of Kurds, Sunni Muslims and Shiite Muslims in a post-Saddam Iraq. But, according to an Iraqi specialist in London who spoke to him 24 hours before his departure, Al-Majid's actions could have been dictated less by his outrage at a perceived conspiracy to split the country than internal politics. SOUNDBITE: English I think the real reason for this decision to go back to Baghdad is that at first he had a conflict with Odai Saddam Hussein not to change the regime and to build a new kind of regime, because he is the son of the regime, of course. Maybe, you see, maybe the family, the ruling family, found, finally, a kind of resolution. I mean to isolate this conflict between Odai and Hussein Kamal. SUPER CAPTION: Adnan Hussein, Iraqi specialist at Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper Certainly Al-Majid's falling out with Saddam's powerful son Odai precipitated his departure. But the coolness of his reception by the Iraqi opposition also appears to have prompted his return. SOUNDBITE: Arabic Considering the position of the other regional countries and the forces of the Iraqi opposition. The Iraqi opposition did not accept Kamel Hussein because it was difficult for them to allow him to work amongst them. He (Kamel) was one of the pillars of the Iraqi regime and he was very close to Saddam Hussein. SUPER CAPTION: Adnan Hussein, Iraqi specialist at Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper Al-Majid's apparent repentance comes at an opportune time for Saddam. Baghdad is negotiating with the U-N Security Council to sell limited amounts of oil to buy food and medicine for ordinary Iraqis hard hit by sanctions. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...