Chapter 266 Visiting Saudi Arabia
Seryozha did not continue to stay in Iraq. He did everything he should do and said all that should be said. As long as Saddam Hussein still has reason, I believe he will deal with the Kuwaiti issue in the way Seryozha suggested. There are only a handful of countries in the world that dare to fall out with the United States and the Soviet Union at the same time, and Iraq is obviously not one of them. Sergey had too many things to deal with, and time was so tight, so the next day after he and Saddam inspected the farm outside Baghdad, Sergey took a special plane to Saudi Arabia, Iraq's neighbor.
At this moment, the arrival of Seryozha has a decisive effect on Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, because a few days later, the United Nations General Assembly will vote on the Kuwait crisis. Relying on this vote, if the vote is passed, the pressure on the US to send troops will be much less in Congress, and the chances of sending troops will be greatly increased. However, the Soviet Union is one of the five permanent members of the United Nations and has a veto power. No matter how many countries Kuwait and Saudi Arabia woo to support the Kuwaiti government-in-exile, as long as the Soviet Union does not nod, all efforts will be in vain. Among the five permanent members of the United Nations, the United States, Britain, and France all support the Kuwaiti government. China will abstain most of the time, so the support of the Soviet Union is very important.
Although Seryozha visited Iraq first, he is still a fateful guest for Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. The courteous treatment that Seryozha received in Saudi Arabia was even worse than that in Iraq. Seryozha still did not express any opinions in Saudi Arabia. He also loves to answer questions from reporters with vague words. In private, however, Seryozha has conveyed his terms to the governments of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Seryozha's conditions were very harsh. He asked Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to support OPEC to cut production by 20%. At the same time, an interest-free loan of 100 billion U.S. dollars should be provided to the Soviet Union.
The US$100 billion is almost one-sixth of Saudi Arabia's foreign exchange reserves. The Soviet Union wanted to borrow so much money without paying interest. Saudi Arabia and Kuwait really hated it. What's more, the Soviet Union asked Saudi Arabia to exert its influence, prompting opec Twenty percent reduction in production. I am afraid that Saudi Arabia and Kuwait will need to bear most of the production reduction share!
"This is a naked threat!" The Saudi representative complained angrily to the Emir of Kuwait in private.
"If I knew the result now, I would rather forgive Saddam Hussein's debt!" Kuwait's emir said helplessly. The government hit a wall everywhere, and the Americans sent the Kuwaiti government-in-exile with mercenary troops. In addition to paying the international risk consulting company, they also had to pay the United States a large sum of money for purchasing weapons. The sum of the two amounts of money almost exceeds the foreign debt owed by Iraq. The Kuwaiti government can only consume the foreign exchange accumulated over the years. Although the foreign exchange reserves are still abundant, once they run out, even the mercenary army of the International Risk Consulting Company will leave them.
The Saudi representatives are still pinning their hopes on the Americans, but the United States has not given definite news so far. On the contrary, intelligence from the Saudi ambassador to the United States shows that anti-war demonstrations in the United States are intensifying. On the White House and Capitol Hill, there were crowds of protesters everywhere. Although Saddam's war lacked justice,
But the Americans who had been terrified by the Vietnam War never wanted to experience it again.
From time to time, the American media can see recruitment advertisements of international risk consulting companies. At the same time, as the world's largest private armed force, the American media has also developed a strong interest in international risk consulting companies. The cnn TV network, known for its 24-hour rolling coverage of international news, sent a team of reporters to follow the international risk consulting company deep into Kuwait to report on the war at close range. The fear of war among the American people has begun to rise, and the US Congress, in front of the protesting crowd, naturally cannot easily allow Bush's decision to send troops to pass.
All parties involved in resolving the Kuwait issue have their own difficulties. At this special moment, Kuwait, who was eager to restore the country, had to swallow the poison that Seriosha took out. The Kuwaiti government no longer dares to tie their fate to the United States. They have contacted Sergesha in private, saying that if the Soviet Union can allow Iraq to withdraw its troops, Kuwait will agree to cancel Iraq’s debts and provide the Soviet Union with 20 billion U.S. dollars. Interest-free loan.
Seryozha readily agreed to Kuwait's request, and the two sides signed a non-legally binding memorandum. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia still has illusions about the United States. There are US troops stationed in Saudi Arabia. Although the torrent of steel from Iraq on the border has put great pressure on Saudi Arabia, as long as the US team is still in Saudi Arabia, it will have a certain deterrent effect on Saddam Hussein.
"You don't have to agree to our conditions, but then we will have to reconsider the Kuwait issue. After all, Iraq is our ally. If Iraq can really eliminate its bad neighbors and become the leader of the Arab world, it will be very beneficial to us and the Soviet Union. Good!" Seriosha didn't even bother to cover up, and directly said the threat.
Seriosha’s meaning is very clear. If Saudi Arabia is not willing to limit oil production, then the Soviet Union will fully support Saddam’s position as the hegemon in the Middle East. Iraq will definitely like to limit production, because their production capacity is limited, and many oil fields are occupied by Iran. The army of fear was blown into ruins, and once the price of oil rises, Iraq can greatly ease the pressure on debt.
Just when Seryozha said otherwise, four Tu-160 bombers landed in Syria, another ally of the Soviet Union in the Middle East. At the same time, the Soviet Black Sea Fleet also left its home port and headed for the Tartus Naval Base in Syria.
The Saudi side was terrified when they heard the news. They didn't want the flames of war to really reach Saudi Arabia. So Sergei Sha's plan once again appeared on the table of the Saudi cabinet meeting.
After receiving news that the Saudi side was willing to negotiate, Sergesha reported to the domestic Politburo by phone. The Soviet Union's solution is now known among the three countries involved in the Gulf. And they all expressed their willingness to adopt peaceful means to resolve the Kuwait issue.
Seryozha was happy with Saudi Arabia's decision, but there is still a hurdle behind it, that is how the Soviet Union handled the Kuwait issue skillfully at the United Nations. ()