Wednesday, October 2, 1991

U.S. Senate formally agrees to Pres. Bush's request for 120-day postponement in considering Israel's request for $10 billion in U.S. loan guarantees. (NYT 10/3; MEM 10/4)

Leader of Israeli-backed South Lebanon Army Gen. Antoine Lahd declares he will not allow any more prisoners to be released from Khiyam prison in the Israeli "security zone" until he receives information on the fate of six missing SLA soldiers. (NYT 10/3)

First direct USSR-Israel flight arrives in Israel with eight passengers, none of them Jewish immigrants. Flights are carried out by Aerolicht, asubsidiary of the Soviet Aeroflot airlines co-owned by Aeroflot and an Israeli businessman. (MEM 10/2; Qol Yisra'el 10/2 in FBIS 10/3)

Lebanese Pres. al-Hirawi states 9/24 talks between him and other Lebanese government officials and Pres. Bush succeeded in convincing U.S. to amend its draft "letter of assurances" to Lebanon to include statementhat UN Security Council Resolution 425 (calling for Israeli withdrawal from S. Lebanon) is not linked with other resolutions calling for Israeli withdrawal from territories occupied in 1967. (MEM 10/2)