The following information was provided during a 30 September 1998 telephone interview with the President of the Assyrian Academic Society of Canada in Toronto.

The president provided information on two Assyrian Christian political organizations present in the no-fly zone over northern Iraq. The President pointed out that around 80 to 85 per cent of Assyrians are supporters of the Assyrian Democratic Movement.

There is the Assyrian National Organization (ANO) (Al-Hezb al-Watani al-Ashuree in Arabic) which is based Dohuk. The ANO's mandate is to promote a unified democratic Iraq and to preserve its territorial integrity. Although the organization has not stated so publicly, the ANO is believed to be close to the current régime in Baghdad. The other organization is called the Assyrian-Chaldean Socialist Oraganization (ACSO) (Itihad Ashur-Kaldu al Hijna in Arabic). It is based in the area of Irbil where it promotes socialist values through the establishment of regional parliamentarism.

The president did not have information on a group called "Malko". He had information on an Assyrian political figure called Malik who was close to the French colonial power during the 1920 and 30s. Malik was promoting the creation of an Assyrian homeland within the territory occupied by the French colonial power. The project failed.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Reference

President, Assyrian Academic Society of Canada, Toronto. 30 September 1998. Telephone interview.

Additional Sources Consulted

Arabies [Paris]. January 1989 - 1998. Monthly.

Arab Law Quarterly [London]. 1993 - 1998. Quarterly.

Arab Studies Quarterly [Lake Forest, Ill.]. 1995 - 1998. Quarterly.

Dialogue [London]. October 1993 - 1998. Monthly.

Resource Centre Country Files: Iraq.

Jane's Intelligence Review. Monthly. 1997-1998.

The Middle East [London]. November 1995 - 1998. Monthly.

Middle East International [London]. January 1995 - 1998. Bi-weekly.

Middle East Report [Washington]. September 1995 - 1997. Bi-monthly.

Monde Arabe Maghreb-Machrek [Paris]. January 1995 - 1998. Quarterly.

News From Middle East Watch [New York]. 1996 - 1998.

Pointer. a newsletter published by the Jane's Group, London.

Electronic sources: IRB databases, Global Newsbank, LEXIS/NEXIS, Internet, REFWORLD, WNC.