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highlights:  Official Documents on Iraq's Status in International Law,  related contributions,
Declaration of Self-Determination, Vivant Sequentes,  Declaration of Separation from Iraq,
Mosul Vilayet Declaration, Unity Declaration,  Statute of the Mosul Vilayet Council (MVC),
Housecleaning, SLM Center Declaration by the Grand Imam of Al Azhar, Solidarity Declaration,
Mosul Vilayet Council at the UN - 1994,  ICESC at the UN on Mideastern/African Issues - 1995,
Stone-Walling at the UN - 1996/97, IRAQ/Kuwait Conflict - 1990/91, Project BACKDOOR,
Who Owns the Oil in the Mosul Vilayet? - 1992,  Genesis of an Alternative Approach - 1992,
Emergency Relief Efforts - 1992/93,  Ambiguous Restraint,  Assyrians Awake - Or Are They?,
 Let my People go! - 1996, Outline of a Linguistic, Cultural & Religious Common Denominator,
 Recover the lost generation! (PLATO),  Project CERES,  Who will move first: the U.S. Senate,
George W.Bush, King Abdullah, Arafat or Saddam Hussein?, oil-for-reconstruction, Full index

     This underdog site (remember the PLO?) reflects an open-ended running story.  All characters involved are real, from President Saddam Hussein to Presidents Bush (I & II) & Clinton, Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan & all other players.  Besides being instructive, it could be an amusing study of human nature and Realpolitik.  If it were not for the very real tragedies of the millions of Arabs, Armenians, Assyrians, Jews, Kurds and Turkomans trapped in Northern Iraq (Mosul Vilayet) whose "internationally protected" properties - i.e. Europe's strategic petroleum reserves - revealingly continue to be looted in favor of a purportedly ostracized Iraqi regime and a bankrupt United Nations.  All moves, tricks & fumblings thus brought to light are authentic, even though their traces presented here do not always tell the full story - or the latest or where it all will lead to.

    So don't jump to hasty conclusions.  See for yourself what the official documents say.  See how far - on paper at least - the aspirations of the peoples concerned have already been formulated unmistakably.  Look at some of the actions and political (mis)steps at the UN and elsewhere and at their results.  And take a sniff at how, over the past decade, things have come about and - like an idea whose time has come - may not be stopped by any means, pundits to the contrary notwithstanding.  For who, only a few years ago, would have envisioned tribal structures, rather than externally imposed "democratic" institutions, to provide the road map for a way out of the conflict which has ravaged Afghanistan?  Is this lesson applicable to the situation in Iraq, where leaders of ethnic tribes have long been sidelined in favor of internally discredited, yet externally upheld leaders of political tribes?  If yes, will it be heeded by the powers that be any time soon?  Only time will tell.  Meanwhile, you may also draw inspiration from the wisdom expressed on the reverse side of Victor Hugo's medal:

    All of which will allow you also to decide whether you, too want to get into the act - perhaps as a 21st Century Gulbenkian - by getting off the fence and by placing your bet while the dices are still rolling.  If you fancy history-in-the-making, click on any link still working & let your curiosity be your guide (in the event, contact us: swissbit@solami.com).

You may start with Iraq's Request for Admission to the League of Nations, including its still valid & potentially most helpful Declaration of 30 May 1932.  Based on these still precedent-taking Iraqi "obligations of international concern"  Iraq became independent, was admitted to the League of Nations and, with none of these minority and property protection obligations diminished or even voided, joined the United Nations in 1945.  Not easily accessible, these documents are reproduced fully or partially - as in the case of the UN Secretary General's study on the continued validity of such undertakings.

     The other sections giving voice to the people concerned contain the official founding documents of the Mosul Vilayet Council and the declarations made by their Representatives at the UN Commission on Human Rights and at its Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities.  Finally, there is a fully hyperlinked record section.  It may be useful not only for historians, lawmakers and journalists, but most of all for the liberated citizens as Iraq's new sovereigns.  For by their actions and inactions will each of them co-determine where things will go from here. (14.2.04)

Editor's Introduction

In his capacity as Secretary of the Good Offices Group of European Lawmakers, the editor outlined the Mosul Vilayet Project in his note of 18 June 1992:

This opens up interesting possibilities and perspectives for all those who pay not only lip services but are genuinely interested in having the butchers and hostage-takers of Baghdad promptly removed from power, and to bring peace and stability to this region. All of the Mosul Vilayet, in an urgent first step, must be effectively liberated from the whims, mercy and bloody rule of Baghdad. This may be achieved by corresponding UN decisions - e.g. creation of a UN trust territory there. The key terms of reference could be the international guarantees which have been in place for those all-too-long neglected and indeed grossly abused minorities. And if the people there so desired, it could facilitate a return to the structure which seems to reflect best their traditions and strong tribal roots, i.e. a kingdom.

On this background it is a telling sign of the time that the leaders of the some 75 tribes of the Mosul Vilayet which, historically, have not been known to agree and join forces on many things, almost unanimously have agreed, put their signature on the dotted line and now have actually taken charge in the above sense on behalf of all ethnic groups and religious communities there. At the conclusion of their meeting in Ankara they adopted on 15 May 1992, the fundamental Declaration of Self-Determination, and they set up the Mosul Vilayet Council as that territory's supreme authority in political, humanitarian, economic, cultural and other matters. With the recent - essentially rigged elections in the liberated part of the Mosul Vilayet having manifestly failed to produce the indispensable unity and competent leadership for effectively addressing the urgent humanitarian and reconstruction needs there, the Council - working through the traditional tribal links - is now putting into place the structures which can be relied upon for all related tasks. As such, and with the cooperation of the humanitarian organizations seeking to effectively help the people who are victimized by an embargo of both the UN and Baghdad, the Mosul Vilayet Council may finally put an end to the wasteful and corruption-prone system of international humanitarian aid being channelled through externally built-up political parties. This should also make the external aid more effective and worthwhile, and provide for its gradual replacement by self-help programs based on regular, mutually beneficial economic terms.

The Good Offices Group of European Lawmakers [by way of its research branch CORUM] has assisted the tribe leaders in this promising initiative. We invite our friends and interested persons to contact us and to consider in their own fields of competence such ways and means which might contribute to the ultimate success of this challenging and demanding enterprise."