Ambassador al-Bander asks to send intelligence officers from Iraq to the GDR for training.
July 12, 1985
Note on a Meeting in the Embassy of the Republic of Iraq with Ambassador Fawzi al-Bander
[GDR Ministry for State Security/MfS] Department X
Berlin, 12 July 1985
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL!
N o t e
On 10 July 1985 a scheduled meeting took place in the Embassy of the Republic of Iraq with Ambassador Fawzi al-Bander (Mr. [redacted] from the Iraqi Embassy served as interpreter).
Al-Bander informed that he received a telegram from the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Iraq. It asks whether the MfS of the GDR is willing to receive a group of intelligence officers from the Ministry of Interior who want to become familiar with the range of work done by the MfS. This request from Baghdad references the recent visit to the GDR by the Interior Minister of the Republic of Iraq and a meeting with Comrade [MfS] Minister [Erich] Mielke. Otherwise the telegram does not contain further details.
Al-Bander was told that unfortunately it is not possible to make a decision about the expedience of receiving such a delegation if there are no concrete details given about, for instance, the objective of the visit, areas and issues of interest, and the unit where these [Iraqi] intelligence officers are delegated from.
Incidentally, during the stay of the Interior Minister from the Republic of Iraq in the GDR no meeting had taken place with the Minister of State Security, Comrade Army General Mielke. We declared to Al-Bander our willingness to have another talk if he will have received more details [from Baghdad].
Al-Bander demonstrated his full understanding and promised to send an according telegram to Baghdad.
The entire talk was calm and open-minded.
[Signed] Damm
Major General
Ambassador al-Bander relays a request to send a group of intelligence officers from the Iraq Minister of Interior to visit the Ministry for State Security (Stasi).
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BStU, ZA, HA X 104, p. 54. Translated for CWIHP by Bernd Schaefer.
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