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A former journalist in quest of Gulf peace

Primakov knows Saddam for the last 25 years
MOSCOW. Feb 19 : As the Persian Gulf totters on the brink of another devastating war following Iraq's annexation of Kuwait the world is watching in anguish for any signs that a peaceful solution to the crisis might yet be possible, reports IAN.
These signs have not been many though, and the sabre-rattling in the region has so far drowned out the voices of diplomats. But peace, efforts have nevertheless persisted and unexpectedly for many have centred around the Soviet shuttle diplomacy conducted since by Presidential Envoy Yevgeny Primakov.
World reactions to Mr. Primakov's October earlier two visits to Iraq and other Arab countries during October have been mixed, ranging from enthusiastic approval to profound scepticism. However, it would certainly be wrong to brush them off as non-events, as the western media has hastened to do';
With its history of special relations with Iraq on the one hand, and the new atmosphere of co-operation with the West on the other, the Soviet Union has been placed in a unique position to act as a mediator between Baghdad and the world community. And Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev appears determined to make the most of this advantage with his choice of envoy for this delicate mission.
For one thing, the 61-year-old Soviet academic Yevgeny Primakov has' personally known Iraqi President Saddam Hussein for about 25 years, since he was Pravda's correspondent In the Middle East in 1965-1970 and helped mediate between the Iraqi leaders and Kurdish rebels. Latter on. working at Research Institutes in Moscow, he also carried out some semi-official diplomatic missions In Baghdad, in particular during the crisis caused by Iraq's nationalisation of the oil Industry and during its war with Iran.
Furthermore, he has no connections with the Soviet Foreign Ministry which cannot boast of any particular breakthroughs in the Middle East in recent years.
As a member of the close Presidential council, whose role has been steadily growing since Its establishment earlier this year. Mr. Primakov has high enough official status to emphasise the Importance the Soviet President attaches to this mission.
Last but not least. Mr. Primakov is a recognised authority on the Middle East. For eight years he headed the Moscow Institute for Oriental Studies and lias published several books on the problems of the region.
In 1985. when Mikhail Gorbachev came to the Kremlin. Mr. Primakov took over as Director of the more prestigious Moscow Institute of World Economy and International Relations and helped shape up the Soviet foreign policy of new thinking. He was closely associated with the Soviet-American disarmament talks and the Soviet leader's historic summits in Washington. Peking and New Delhi.
His political career reached its high point in 1989. when he was elected Chairman of the House of the Union, one of the two Chambers of Soviet Parliament, the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. However, less than a y?ar later, in March 1990. he gave up the post to join the newly formed Presidential Council. His resignation was reportedly caused by some frictions with the House, but this does not necessarily Indicate a lack of diplomatic skills on his part. As the example of Mikhail Gorbachev shows, sometimes it is easier for Soviet leaders to common language with their foreign partners than with fellow politicians at home.
As a House Speaker. Mr. Primakov developed important contacts with world leaders. Including President Bush. This has clearly been an advantage during his current shuttle diplomacy, which has taken him both to Arab and Western capitals. Mr. Primakov’s Middle East mission appears to be part of a co-ordinated Soviet-American strategy, with the Americans playing the role of an angry policemen ready to club down a defiant lawbreaker and the Soviets acting the part of a patient lawyer pursuadlng ■the culprit to comply and avoid being beaten up.