Middle East 567
Egypt. Egypt recalled its diplomats from Cyprus and asked Cyprus to do the same. On
February 22, Egypt severed its diplomatic ties to Cyprus for Cyprus’s “treachery and
complicity” in connection with the incident. Diplomatic relations were not restored
until after the assassination of Sadat.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from February 19, 1983. End Date changed
from February 19, 1983. Outcome changed from Compromise.
360 ROMANIA/630 IRAN
MID#2828
Dispute Number: 2828
Date(s): November 23, 1987
Participants: 630 Iran/360 Romania
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: An Iranian warship fired on a Romanian tanker. The tanker was hit up to
six times and its crew called out for help to Soviet warships, but there were none in
the area. There were no injuries reported from the attack.
MID#2759
Dispute Number: 2759
Date(s): July 7, 1988
Participants: 630 Iran/360 Romania
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: Iranian gunboats fired grenades at a Romanian tanker in the northern Per-
sian Gulf near Iran’s Farsi Island on the night of Thursday, July 7, 1988. Two people
on the Romanian tanker were injured.
365 RUSSIA/625 SUDAN
MID#4360
Dispute Number: 4360
Date(s): July 24, 2003 to July 29, 2003
Participants: 625 Sudan/365 Russia
Outcome (and Settlement): Released (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: Sudan seized a Russian helicopter that crossed Sudanese airspace, en route
to a UN-sponsored mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The helicopter
and crew were released five days later.