Medal Of Peace.

[medals73]

Nut al-Salam / Medal for Peace, 1970

Conflicts with the Kurdsbroke out again in the summer of 1965 and moved Iraqi-Kurdish relations closer to a state of war, and cross-border attacks into Iran complicated what had been in essence an internal matter. It appeared to many that the Shah of Iran was an active supporter of Kurdish rebellion against the Iraqi state. Despite active efforts at settlement, by October 1968, Iraq faced what was essentially a full-scale internal war with its Kurdish population. The Kurds demanded autonomy and aappealed for United Nations arbitration. On 11 March 1970, a settlement was, at long last, achieved with the Kurds (thanks in large part to the personal diplomatic interventions of Saddam Hussein) and a formal peace agreement and system for shared authority and administration was concluded.

This medal commemorates this peace settlement. It was awarded in three classes (gold, silver, and bronze -- in color, not metallic content), though it is unclear what these classes represent.

Established: Law No. 3 of 1971. Manufactured by Hugenin (Le Loche, Switzerland).
Obverse: A 35-mm circular medal with a wreath around the outer edge and swords at the lower border. In the center, with a scene of the Iraqi countryside behind and a cog-wheel above, a Kurd and an Arab shake hands. Above all, on a banner, the Arabic legend “11 Aathar 1970” or “11 March 1970”. Suspended by a ring.
Reverse: Patterned with a small maker’s mark toward the bottom, “HUGUENIN / SWISS MADE”.
Ribbon: 36 mm, yellow, with stripes (reading inward) of 4 mm green and 6 mm white; 4 mm green, 6 mm white, 16 mm yellow, 6 mm white, 4 mm green.
Outline:
-- gilt
-- silvered
-- bronze