Palestinian delegates finally join Jordanians in leaving for peace talks in Washington after 10-hour delay at Amman airport during which negotiations continued between Palestinians and U.S....
In Jerusalem, Sec. Baker holds separate meetings with P.M. Shamir and group of 10 Palestinian leaders, led by Faisal Husseini, who hands him memo. Baker reportedly probes each side for points on...
After meeting in Cairo with Pres. Mubarak, Sec. Baker arrives in Jerusalem and meets with F.M. Levy, Baker says he is pleased with initial Israeli responses to Pres. Bush's peace initiative;...
Israeli officials warn that Iraqi missile attack could not stand without retaliation. Yet after telephone calls from Pres. Bush and Sec. Baker to P.M. Shamir, U.S. admin. says Israel will not...
Sec. Baker receives letter from Israeli F.M. Levy seen as retracting commitment made on 10/2 that Israel would not settle Soviet Jews in E. Jerusalem [HAA 10/18 in FBIS 10/18; NYT, LAT, WP 10/19...
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Palestinian delegates finally join Jordanians in leaving for peace talks in Washington after 10-hour delay at Amman airport during which negotiations continued between Palestinians and U.S. officials over whether or not certain PLO officials would be allowed visas to enter U.S. along with delegation. Palestinians eventually dropped the matter and left for Washington. (Jordan Times 12/3 in FBIS 12/3)
American hostage Joseph Cicippio released in Beirut by Revolutionary Justice Organization. (NYT 12/3)
Arafat holds talks with King Hussein in Amman. Usama Baz, advisor to Pres. Mubarak and most senior Egyptian leader to visit Jordan since Gulf war, also arrives for talks. Arafat later flies to Damascus. (MM 12/2)
IDF establishes Rachelim, a paramilitary Nahal camp, at site where two settlers were ambushed and killed 10/28. (MM 12/5)
UN Secy. Gen. Perez de Cuellar calls for UNIFIL troops to replace Israeli, SLA forces at certain locations in S. Lebanon to avoid future clashes like 11/15 incident in which Irish UNIFIL soldier died in a clash between UNIFIL, SLA. (MM 12/3)
In Jerusalem, Sec. Baker holds separate meetings with P.M. Shamir and group of 10 Palestinian leaders, led by Faisal Husseini, who hands him memo. Baker reportedly probes each side for points on which each might be flexible; reiterates "land for peace" formula to a noncommittal Shamir (cf. 3/13) [NYT, LAT, WP, WT 3/13; IDF, JDS 3/12, JPD, DAV 3/13 in FBIS 3/13; CSM 3/14; FJ 3/18; MET 3/26].
Kuwait military continues to transport hundreds of Palestinians, Jordanians, N.Africans, and Iraqis-arrested since liberation of Kuwait-to border with Iraq; several people claim to have been tortured and beaten by Kuwait military [LAT, WP 3/13].
Kurdish insurgents in northern Iraq claim further territorial gains and accuse Baghdad of taking 5,000 Kurdish women and children as hostages [LAT, WP, CSM 3/13].
Syria announces it has freed all Palestinians held in its jails. Beirut radio says 302 prisoners were released; PLO reports more than 4,000 Palestinians in Syrian jails (cf. 3/13) [LAT, WP 3/13; BVL 3/12 in FBIS 3/18; MET 3/26].
North Korea has delivered to Syria about 24 SCUD missiles along with mobile launchers, according to U.S. officials [WT 3/13].
World Health Organization reports Baghdad's water supplies are at 5% of prewar levels; Iraqi Red Crescent says cholera and typhoid cases are beginning to appear [LAT 3/13].
King Hussein says that Jordan will never agree to be a substitute for PLO in peace talks with Israel, but if Palestinian leadership asked Jordan to join talks, it would do so [NYT 3/13].
Kuwaiti gov't. officials say joint U.S.-British air base will be built on Kuwait's Bubiyan Island as part of postwar security arrangements [WT 3/13].
After meeting in Cairo with Pres. Mubarak, Sec. Baker arrives in Jerusalem and meets with F.M. Levy, Baker says he is pleased with initial Israeli responses to Pres. Bush's peace initiative; announces plans to meet with Palestinian leaders from o.t., but will ignore their insistence that they speak for the PLO [NYT, LAT, WP, WT 3/12; MENA 3/11 in FBIS 3/11; MENA, JDS 3/11, IDF 3/12 in FBIS 3/12; CSM 3/13; JPI 3/23].
Israeli troops shoot dead 6 heavily armed Arabs who had crossed border from Jordan; 3 Israeli soldiers are slightly wounded in the 2-hour gun battle [NYT 3/12; JDS 3/11 in FBIS 3/11; JPI 3/23].
U.S. military officials say Iraq will turn over the bodies of 14 allied soldiers killed in Gulf war; 24 U.S. soldiers remain missing in action [LAT, WP 3/12].
23 Iraqi opposition groups begin 3-day conference in Beirut to solidify their stand and offer alternative to Saddam Hussein's regime [LAT, CSM 3/12; BDS 3/11 in FBIS 3/12].
Allied air strikes have left Iraq's oil production capacity reduced by two-thirds, according to oil industry experts [LAT 3/12].
U.S. Commerce Dep't. makes public list of $500 million in advanced American goods, including lasers and computers, that were sold to Iraq with Washington's approval between 1985 and August 1990 [NYT 3/12].
Palestinian journalist Taher Shriteh, released from Israeli prison on 3/8, is indicted on charges of aiding an illegal Arab group by giving them the publicly listed telephone number of Reuters in Jerusalem [NYT 3/17].
Gulf Crisis Financial Coordination Group, 27 wealthy countries, meet in Luxembourg, pledge $834 million in new aid to nations hardest hit by Gulf war [WT 3/12].
Public opinion survey published in Israeli newspaper Yedi'ot Ahronot shows 49% of respondents find "territories for peace" principle acceptable; 49% say it is unacceptable [YA 3/11 in FBIS 3/19].
Israeli officials warn that Iraqi missile attack could not stand without retaliation. Yet after telephone calls from Pres. Bush and Sec. Baker to P.M. Shamir, U.S. admin. says Israel will not retaliate for the time being. Saudi officials say Arab nations would face additional pressure if Israel entered fight, but probably would not desert coalition. More than 20 countries, including 13 in Europe, and UN Sec.-Gen. condemn Iraqi attack and urge Israeli restraint; USSR urges Israel and allied Arab nations to avoid turning war against Saddam into Arab-Israeli conflict [IDF, AFP, TET 1/18 in FBIS 1/81; NYT, LAT, WP 1/19; MEM 1/21; IDF 1/18 in FBIS 1/22].
Open elation in Jordan over missiles hitting Israel; some Tunisians, Syrians, and Lebanese also show support for Saddam's attack. PLO says attack represents "effective entry of Israel into the conflict" [MEM 1/18; LAT 1/19].
Allied warplanes mount hugh effort to destroy Iraq's remaining mobile SCUD missile launchers, partly in effort to keep Saddam Hussein from attacking Israel again. [NYT, LAT, WP 1/19; MEM 1/21].
U.S. Patriot anti-missile defense system destroys incoming Iraqi SCUD missile aimed at Saudi air base [NYT, LAT 1/19]; 2 SCUDs hit Tel Aviv [WP 1/19].
After 3d day of bombing, Baghdad is without electricity and telephone service, and is suffering severe shortage of water, according to Western media in Iraq [NYT, LAT, WP 1/19].
Jordan reopens its border with Iraq after 9 days, official says "we don't want anymore suffering" [JTE 1/19 in FBIS 1/22; LAT 1/19].
Officials say U.S. ambassador to Lebanon Ryan Crocker and his staff have flown to Cyprus, fearing anti-U.S. backlash in Beirut [LAT 1/19].
Jordanian lower house of parliament statement backs Iraq in Gulf war, brands U.S. as "Great Satan" [LAT 1/19].
Pres. Gorbachev sends letter to Saddam Hussein asking for Iraqi withdrawal from Kuwait (cf. 1/21) [BADS 1/21 in FBIS 1/22].
Sec. Baker receives letter from Israeli F.M. Levy seen as retracting commitment made on 10/2 that Israel would not settle Soviet Jews in E. Jerusalem [HAA 10/18 in FBIS 10/18; NYT, LAT, WP 10/19].
Israeli troops wound at least 55 Palestinians who stoned soldiers raising an Israeli flag in the middle of Rafa refugee camp [NYT 10/19].
Soviet envoy Primakov meets in Washington with Sec. Baker and NSC's Brent Scowcroft to discuss Gulf crisis [NYT, WP 10/19].
In 1st unanimous decision since 8/2, Arab League emergency summit adopts resolution deploring WVashington's pro-Israel bias and urging UN Sec. Council to apply its law impartially to all disputes. Resolution is compromise after earlier PLO-sponsored draft is defeated 11-10 prompting protest walkout [MEM 10/18, 10/19; NYT, WP 10/19; SVP 10/20 in FBIS 10/23].
Israel notifies UN it would be willing to give Sec.-Gen. Perez de Cuellar a copy of the findings of Israel's own inquiry into Haram al-Sharif shootings in lieu of accepting UN investigating team (cf. 10/19) [MEM 10/19; NYT 10/20.
Military and hospital officials in Beirut report at least 750 people were killed in the Syrian-led offensive that toppled Gen. Michel Aoun on 10/13. Death toll from the 8-hour battle makes it the worst single battle in history of Lebanese civil war [NYT 10/19].
