ARAB SUMMIT PLAN

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32406, 19 September 1970, Page 17

ARAB SUMMIT PLAN

(NZ.P. A.-Reuter—Copyright) i CAIRO, Sept. 18. President Nasser and the leaders of Libya and Sudan have sent an eight-point plan to King Hussein and the Palestine guerrilla chief, Mr Yasser Arafat, to end the conflict in Jordan. A summary of the plan was published in the authoritative Cairo newspaper, “Al Ahram” today amid reports from Tripoli that Arab leaders would hold a summit meeting in the Libyan capi tai in the next few days. NAMES NOT LISTED Egypt’s Middle East news agency initially quoted an official announcement as saying that the Egyptian, Libyan and Sudanese leaders would hold important talks—then amended it to say Arab presidents would meet in Tripoli. No names were listed. The M.E.N.A. report said that the talks would be devoted to hammering out a settlement between King Hussein’s newly-appointed military government and Arab commandos. Dispatch of the eight-point plan to Jordan followed crisis talks yesterday between President Nasser and Libya’s Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in the Mediterranean town of Mersa Matruh. The conciliation appeal, said to carry the approval of Sudanese leader, General Jaffar El-Nimeiry, advocating preserving the effectiveness of the Arab eastern front against Israel and stopping the waste of Arab blood in internecine struggles. CAREFUL WORDS The carefully-phrased appeal was taken to Jordan after the Mersa Matruh meeting by the chief of staff of the Egyptian Armed Forces, Lieutenant-General Mohamed Ahmed Sadek.

It advocated responsible I government in Jordan while at the same time acknowledging the “legality of Palestinian resistance and the Pales-

tinians’ right to carry on the struggle against Israel” “Al Ahram,” quoted the Mersa Matruh message as saying the government-com-mando strife in Jordan posed a bigger threat than the June, 1967, Arab-Israeli war. It warned that reckless bidding and bargaining might open the door to unforeseen international repercussions detrimental to the Arab cause.

The appeal also called for a halt to the conflict and a chance for fresh talks and consultations, “Al Ahram,” said. “Al Ahram” said that President Nasser and Colonel Gaddafi agreed on the broad outlines of their joint move at Mersa Matruh, then communicated with Khartoum to co-ordinate their stand with General Nimeiry. ANOTHER MOVE In another move to soothe the crisis, the 14-nation Arab League council met in Cairo yesterday and after a fourhour debate called on King Hussein’s men and the guerrillas to end the fighting and the “senseless waste of life.” It said that a cease-fire would enable the recentlyestablished four-nation conciliation committee composed of Egypt, Sudan, Libya and Algeria—to make new efforts to win a settlement. The assistant secretarygeneral of the league, Mr Selim el Yafi, was 'told to fly to Amman with a full report of its discussions and recommendations. Cairo newspapers today regretted the Jordan fighting described as “a bloodbath” by “Al Akhbar.” The editor in chief of “Gomhouria,” Athy Ghanern, said in an editorial that all Arab efforts should be concentrated on Israel, the common enemy.