Volume 1 - Iraq Watch

cializes in air defense; Georgi Sergeevich Pitrov anspecialist in air to air missiles and the Deputy Headof the Ukrainian Government Office called “Log;”Oleg Georgovich Orlov a Czech-based businessmanspecializing in weapons; and Vadim BorisovichKaziulin.• The Russian delegation agreed with the requests tosupply equipment to Iraq as specified. Both partiesagreed to send six experts to Iraq. The group was toreview and decide what the Iraqis required in regardto the maintenance and production workshops associatedwith tanks, armor and infantry. This groupwas scheduled to arrive in Iraq 15 days after themeeting. Staff General Khaldun Khattab Umar, theSecretariat of the MoD, was the group’s contact.2002: MAS Economic Group Requests Iraqi EntryVisas for Military TechniciansA letter from the MAS Economic Group dated 30January 2002, requested the urgent issue of Iraqientry visas for 3 Chinese and 2 Syrians who were towork for the MoD. In July 2002, another letter fromthe MAS Group referred to 3 South African engineersresiding in Damascus who were awaiting visas fromBaghdad. A letter from Iraqi Staff Major GeneralTalib ’Uwayn Juma’h, the Army Chief of Staff,approved the extension of the Iraqi visas for the threeSouth African experts on 10 August 2002.2002: Procurement of Military Goods and Servicesfor IraqDocuments recovered show that ARMOS requested abid for for rocket fuel from the Syrian MAS EconomicGroup in 2002. The company Director of MASwas Firas Tlas, the son of former Syrian DefenseMinister. Firas was also involved in a Chinese offer in2002 to help with the Iraqi Air Defense System.• A letter from Dr. Siham Al Din Khayri Al Ali, theDeputy Director of ARMOS Trading, dated 15October 2002, requested a bid from the MAS EconomicGroup for rocket fuel. One of the types offuel listed included one entry for 15 tons of hydrazineat 97-percent purity.• A recovered letter from Firas Tlas, dated 21 October2002, states, “Technicians from the Syriahave been dispatched to China to deal with somequite influential companies (companies that havea great influence upon the Chinese government)and that these companies have expressed theirdesire to co-operate with Iraq for a modernizationof the air defense systems.” The letter furtherstates that the meeting should take place, “in eitherDamascus or in Peking and that they held no objectionto the idea of sending a delegation to visitPeking.”• Another letter from Tlas, also dated 21 October2002, relays to “Abu Mustafa” that techniciansfrom “our side have been sent to China in orderto do business with esteemed powerful companieswith the government and that they have compliedpositively to co-operate with you to develop the Airdefense Systems.” Also, that associate meetingsshould be held in Damascus or Beijing and thatthere was no objection to sending a delegation invitationletter to visit them. The letter gives regardsand a wish to visit Mustafa soon in Baghdad.2003: MAS Economic Group Facilitates FrenchMilitary Sales Catalogue DisseminationAn internal GMID memo from Lt. Col. Imad Salihdated 13 January 2003, refers to a Syrian MAS EconomicGroup letter with 5 attached CDs and cataloguesfrom a French expert named Eric Joubert. TheSyrian Company was facilitating the supply of theFrench technology. The documents contained informationand equipment lists of interest to the GMIDdirectorate and the Iraqi intelligence service. Joubertexpressed his wish to visit Iraq to give more detailsabout the CDs and catalogues.2003: Contract for Supply of Spare Parts for155mm Weapon SystemsRecovered documents indicate that a Syrian companyagreed to supply Iraq with Syrian Defense establishmentcomponents of 155 mm weapon systems.286