BEIJING: A senior Iraqi diplomat said that he had as yet no instruction from Baghdad to reconsider Iraqi participation in the Asian Games or to oppose the presence of neighbouring Kuwait which was overrun by Iraqi troops two weeks ago.
The diplomat said that preparations were going on for the Asian Games and that Iraq would participate “unless we have any further information.”
He said Iraq planned to send as many as 186 persons the country’s biggest contingent so far in the Asian Games, for next month’s extravaganza here.
He said it was premature to talk about Kuwait’s participation as he had no information in that regard and that it was up to the National Olympic Committee of Iraq to decide (whether or not to oppose Kuwait’s participation since Kuwait is now claimed to be part of Iraqi territory).
Article extracted from this publication >> August 31, 1990
