The Palestine Chronology

In report submitted to Sec. Council, UN Sec.-Gen. Perez de Cuellar suggests that the 164 nations that signed 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention on protecting civilians in wartime should meet to discuss new ways to ensure safety of Palestinians in O.T. (cf. 11/4) [WP, NYT, MEM 11/2].

Saddam Hussein orders the release of 4 elderly and sick American hostages [INA 11/1 in FBIS 11/2; WP 11/2; NYT 11/3].

Amnesty International says it has evidence that Saudi forces detained and tortured hundreds of Yemenis over their country's stand in the Gulf crisis, and urges King Fahd to conduct enquiry [WP 11/2].

Pres. Bush says he is "not trying to prepare our country for war," but admits a diplomatic solution to Gulf crisis is no nearer, and that status quo cannot remain forever [WP, NYT 11/2].

Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, commander of U.S. forces in Gulf, says his troops could obliterate Iraq but cautions that total destruction might not be "in the interest of the long-term balance of power in this region" [NYT 11/2].

Number of Soviet immigrants arriving in Israel during October topped 20,000 for 1st time, with 20,324 for a 1990 total of 121,752 [NYT 11/2].

Arab League begins its official work at its new headquarters in Cairo; acting Sec.-Gen. As'ad meets with Egypt's F.M. Majid to discuss Gulf crisis [MEM 11/1; CDS, MENA 11/1 in FBIS 11/2].

Israeli warplanes bomb targets in Lebanon's Biqa' Valley for 2d time in 8 days, no casualty figures are reported [IDF 11/1 in FBIS 11/1; BDS 11/1 in FBIS 11/2; WP 11/2].

In testimony to House Foreign Affairs Committee, Sec. Baker calls for creation of U.S.-led NATO-style security structure in Middle East to prevent renewed Iraqi aggression even if present crisis ends without warfare (cf. 9/5) [LAT, NYT, WP, MEM 9/5; CSM 9/6].

Speaking in Vladivostok, Soviet F.M. Shevardnadze calls for international conference on the Middle East that would include the Gulf crisis, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and Lebanon [WT, WP 9/5]; Israel sharply rejects the idea [JPI 9/15].

Washington Post reports that U.S. commander in Saudi Arabia Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf complained to Defense Dep't and White House about Saudi Lt. Gen. Khaled bin Sultan's remarks on 8/29 that any decision to use U.S. forces deployed in Kingdom would have to follow consultations between King Fahd and Pres. Bush. Bush conveyed to Saudi ambassador "military concern that U.S. forces be unquestionably under U.S. command," and ambassador reiterated what Saudis contend was original agreement between Fahd and Def. Sec. Cheney that U.S. forces were invited to Kingdom to defend Saudi Arabia from attack by Iraq [WP, MEM 9/4].

Cheney says U.S. would "consult closely" with Saudis before launching offensive action from Saudi territory, but stops short of saying whether Saudi approval would be required [MEM 9/5].

Bush admin. begins asking economic allies for at least $25 billion to help defray American military expenses and support countries that have been hurt by embargo on Iraq and Kuwait [LAT, WP 9/5].

Israeli finance minister Yitzhak Modai says if U.S. forgives Egypt's debt, Israel will demand that most of its $4.6 billion debt also be erased [LAT 9/5; MET 9/18].

Qatar expels more than 70 Palestinian families, including several PLO members, apparently because of Palestinian support for Iraq [NYT 9/5; MET 9/18].

Media report of growing crisis in Jordan as hundreds of thousands of refugees flee Kuwait and Iraq for the Hashemite kingdom [NYT, WP 9/5; MET 9/18].

As'ad al-As'ad, ass't sec.-gen. of Arab League, is named as acting sec.-gen. until replacement for Chedli Klibi is determined [TDS 9/4 in FBIS 9/5].