On June 20, 1961, Nikita Khrushchev, Chairman of the USSR Council of Ministers, held a farewell meeting with Abd Elwahab Mahmoud, the departing Ambassador of Iraq to the Soviet Union. The discussion reflected on Mahmoud’s tenure in the USSR and the strained relations between Iraq and the Soviet Union under General Qasim's government. Khrushchev expressed regret over Mahmoud's departure, noting the deterioration in Soviet-Iraq relations. He criticized General Qasim for persecuting communists and patriots who supported Iraq’s revolution, comparing Qasim's actions unfavorably to Lenin's strategic leadership during the Russian Revolution. Khrushchev also discussed broader ideological themes, emphasizing the superiority of the socialist system, Soviet progress in education and industrial production, and the country’s long-term economic and cultural development program. Mahmoud acknowledged the challenges in Iraq, expressing optimism that Qasim’s rule was temporary and that Iraq would eventually realign with democratic and progressive forces. He emphasized the Iraqi people's desire for friendship with the USSR. The conversation concluded with Khrushchev praising Mahmoud’s work as ambassador and offering his best wishes for Mahmoud's future, with advice to share the USSR's perspectives with Qasim if it would not harm him personally.
This document summary was generated by an artificial intelligence language model and was reviewed by a Wilson Center staff member.
