P.L.O. to be less visible’

Press, 29 May 1978, Page 8

P.L.O. to be less visible’

NZPA Beirut As Israeli troops prepare to complete their withdrawal from Lebanon by June 13, the Palestine Liberation Organisation has pledged to freeze all shelling of Israel from Lebanese territory and it will try to curb guerrilla i infiltration in the area, 'according to Zuheir Moi.sen, [head of the P.L.O’s military I arm.

“We will try to freeze military activities in southern Lebanon to prevent the Israelis from justifying any attempt to postpone their j withdrawal or to stay there,” Mr Mohsen said in an interview with the “New York Times.” Mr Mohsen said the guerrilla organisation was willing to co-operate with the United Nations peace-keep-ing forces sent to Lebanon after the Israeli invasion of the south in mid-March. He said that the guerrilla movement would maintain its forces in the positions stipulated by the so-called Cairo Agreement reached in 1969 after an cutbreak of trouble between the guerrillas and Lc' anese forces. Under that accord, the guerrillas were allowed a limited presence in southern Lebanon, but under Lebanese supervision and control. “What that restraint means,” Mr Mohsen said, “is that the guerrillas will stay off the roads and out of the imain towns and villages.”