The Palestine Chronology

Soviet Union announces that it is prepared to cosponsor Middle East peace conference with U.S., as F.M. Bessmertnykh meets with Sec. Baker in Kislovodsk, USSR [NYT, WP, LAT 4/26].

While Sec. Baker is en route to Israel from Soviet Union, Israelis move 7 additional mobile homes to new West Bank settlement of Talmon Bet [NYT 4/26]. Gush Emunim group brings 16 additional mobile homes to new settlement of Revava; IDF stops convoy from setting up homes, claiming move was not approved by gov't. [JDS 4/25, YA 4/26 in FBIS 4/26].

In 90-minute news conference with Iraqi and foreign journalists, Iraqi P.M. Saadun Hamadi says his country is moving toward democracy, wants better relations with West, and will abide by UN terms for lifting economic sanctions [NYT, WP 4/26; INA 4/25 in FBIS 4/26].

Palestinian notable Radwan Abu Ayyash, who met with Sec. Baker, is given green ID card, barring him from Israel without special permission from Israeli gov't. [MEM 4/25; JDS 4/25 in FBIS 4/25].

53 senators sign letter to King Fahd urging Saudi Arabia to participate in proposed Arab-Israeli peace talks; letter calls Saudi involvement "indispensable" [MEM 4/26].

Sec. Baker holds nearly 10 hours of talks with Pres. Asad, at press conference Baker declines to say whether progress was made [NYT, LAT, MEM 4/24; DDS 4/23 in FBIS 4/23; SANA 4/23 in FBIS 4/24].

Eight Israeli families complete move to new settlement of Talmon Bet several miles west of Ramallah hours before Sec. Baker is due to arrive in Israel. Gush Emunim says new houses are part of existing settlement. Baker later announces he is postponing his visit to Israel for trip to USSR [MEM 4/23; NYT, WP 4/24; JPI 5/4].

Clashes are reported between peace activists and settlers there [MEM 4/23].

Israeli officials say they do not interpret U.S. objection to settlements as call for definite freeze, but rather as Washington asking for temporary halt [LAT 4/24].

PLO Central Council ends 3 days of meetings in Tunis, calls for international peace conference that includes PLO [MEM 4/24; TDS 4/25, AVP, MAP 4/24 in FBIS 4/25; AVP 4/25 in FBIS 4/26]. 

After meetings with Pres. Mubarak in Cairo, Sec. Baker arrives in Jeddah; says he is trying to organize 2-phase peace conference, with Israel and its bordering Arab states negotiating their differences in main talks. In 2d phase, Israel and other Arab nations would discuss regional issues [NYT, MEM 4/22; MENA, RIDS 4/21 in FBIS 4/22].

Saudi Arabia confirms that it will not take part in any Middle East peace conference with Israel, and there are growing signs that Arab gov'ts. want to limit negotiations with Israel to only Palestinian problem [WP, LAT 4/22].

PLO Central Council - the link between PLO Exec. Committee and PNC - opens meetings in Tunis to assess repercussions of Gulf war of PLO's relations with Arab and European states (cf. 4/23) [MEM 4/23; TDS 4/22 in FBIS 4/22; AVP 4/22, TDS 4/23 in FBIS 4/23]

Construction of new settlement, Talmon Bet, outside Ramallah, is completed allowing settlers to begin to move in (cf. 4/23) [HAA 4/23 in FBIS 4/23].

U.S. ambassador to UN Thomas Pickering tells Jewish group in New York that Kuwait has agreed to stop participating in Arab League boycott of U.S. firms that do business with Israel, at least during reconstruction of the emirate [MEM 4/23; CSM 4/24].

Israeli soldiers shoot dead 2 Palestinian fighters who had cut through Lebanon border fence; in Damascus, Fateh Uprising group claims responsibility [MEM 4/22; NYT 4/23; JDS 4/22 in FBIS 4/22].