SAUD IN TUNIS: SUPPORT FOR ARAFAT

C O N F I D E N T I A L RIYADH 05400

LONDON FOR RAPHEL

PARIS FOR WINN

CENTCOM FOR POLAD LOWRIE

E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PREL SA SY LE PLO
SUBJECT: SAUD IN TUNIS: SUPPORT FOR ARAFAT

REF: FBIS LD 82248



1. (U) IN JUNE 10 "ASHARQ AL-AWSAT" INTERVIEW IN
TUNIS, FON MIN SAUD AL-FAISAL TALKED ABOUT THE
ARAB LEAGUE FOREIGN MINISTERS' MEETING ON LEBANON.
REFERRING TO KING FAHD'S PREVIOUS EXPRESSION OF
DISGUST AND DISMAY AT EVENTS AT THE PALESTINIAN
CAMPS IN LEBANON, HE SAID HE HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED
TO EXPRESS HOPE THAT ALL STATES WOULD WORK TO HALT
BLOODSHED AND BRING ABOUT RECONCILIATION. HE
ASSERTED THAT MEETING HAD REACHED A RESOLUTION TO
END THE BLOODSHED AND HOPED THE LEBANESE GOVERN-
MENT WOULD COOPERATE IN IMPLEMENTING IT. HE ADDED
THAT ALL LEBANESE PARTIES HAD BEEN REQUESTED TO
EXERT EVERY EFFORT TO BRING ABOUT AN IMMEDIATE
CEASEFIRE.
-

2. (U) IN JUNE 10 EDITORIAL, "AL-RIYADH"
IS IMPLICITLY CRITICAL OF THE MEETING BY NOTING
THAT THE RESOLUTION PRODUCED WAS THE MINIMUM
EXPECTED. IT IMPLIED DISAPPROVAL OF INEFFECTIVE
CONCILIATORY RESOLUTIONS AND OF THE ARAB WORLD FOR
NOT DOING MORE TO PREVENT THE PALESTINIANS FROM
BECOMING VICTIMS. "AL-NADWA," THE MOST VOCALLY
PRO-PALESTINIAN OF THE SAUDI PAPERS, MENTIONED
IN JUNE 8 EDITORIAL THAT SOME STATES WILL BOYCOTT
THE MEETING HELD TO DISCUSS THE WAR OF THE CAMPS
"WAGED BY THE AMAL MILITIAS." IT ALSO CALLED FOR
EFFECTIVE ACTION AND FOR THE COUNCIL TO STAND
FIRMLY AGAINST THE ATTACKS. JUNE 9 "AL-NADWA"
EDITORIAL IS HIGHLY CRITICAL OF NABIH BERRI.
-

3. (U) KING FAHD HIMSELF SUBSEQUENTLY ISSUED
ANOTHER STATEMENT ON THE PALESTINIAN SITUATION
IN LEBANON. JUNE 11 PRESS REPORTS THAT AT CON-
CLUSION OF EVENING CABINET MEETING JUNE 10, AT
WHICH SAUD REPORTED ON THE RESULTS OF THE TUNIS
MEETING, MIN INFO ALI SHAIR READ A STATEMENT IN
WHICH THE KING AFFIRMED SAUDI ARABIA'S CONCERN FOR
THE SAFETY OF THE PALESTINIAN REFUGEES IN THE
LEBANON CAMPS. FURTHER, SAUDI ARABIA WOULD
ATTEND ANY ARAB MEETING WHICH WOULD SERVE THE
PALESTINIAN CAUSE AND FIND SOLUTIONS TO STOP THE
KILLING IN LEBANON.
-

4. (C) COMMENT: SAUD'S REMARKS PUT THE SAUDIS'
CALL TO END THE BLOODSHED ONCE MORE ON RECORD.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, SAUD'S PRESENCE AT THE MEETING
AND SAUDI SUPPORT FOR THE RESOLUTION SHOW SAUDI
ARABIA ONCE MORE SUPPORTING THE LEADERSHIP ROLE
OF ARAFAT DESPITE SYRIAN OPPOSITION. (WE NOTE
FROM REFTEL SAUD CONFERRED WITH ARAFAT IN TUNIS.)
ALTHOUGH NO EDITORIALS MENTIONED SYRIA BY NAME,
ONLY THE AMAL AND BERRI, UNHAPPINESS WITH SYRIA
IS PROBABLY NOT FAR BELOW THE SURFACE. INDEED,
WE HAVE HEARD THAT ASAD HAS BEEN ROUNDLY
CRITICIZED BY PALESTINIANS AND SAUDIS ON THE
LOCAL MAJLIS CIRCUIT FOR NOT RESTRAINING THE
SHI'ITE ATTACKS AGAINST THE PALESTINIAN CAMPS.
END COMMENT.


5. BEIRUT MINIMIZE CONSIDERED.

SUDDARTH