BEIRUT TENSE

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34044, 7 January 1976, Page 11

BEIRUT TENSE

(N.Z. Press Assn—Copyright) BEIRUT, Jan. 6.

Tension rose in Beirut last night as the sectarian kidnappings increased and sporadic gunfire was reported, both in ,the centre of the city and in the suburbs. At the same time, the political situation degenerated rapidly: the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies (Mr Kamel Al Assaad) said on television that no settlement was in view.

About 30 people were kidnapped yesterday, bringing to 70 the number who have been abducted since the New Year began. Radio Beirut and the television service reported that the city’s streets were unsafe, especially at night. The Right-wing blockade of the Tell Zaatar camp, which, with an estimated 50,000 Palestinian refugees, is one of Lebanon’s largest, has added to the tension. The camp has been without food supplies for four or five days, and Right-wing — mainly Christian — forces again turned back trucks yesterday.

Lead foil meed The personal staff of the Papua New Guinea Prime Minister (Mr Somare) have followed his lead and accepted cuts in their salaries as part of an austerity programme. Mr Somare announced last month that he was giving back his nearlynew luxury Daimler car and cutting his $12,000-a-year salary by $lOOO. Now his personal secretary, Mr Paul Bengo, has announced that he and another senior staff member have each agreed to a $lOOO-a-year cut, and seven other members of his private staff have asked for their salaries to be reduced by 10 per cent, — Port Moresby.