Moderation shows in Bagdad line

Press, 7 November 1978, Page 8

Moderation shows in Bagdad line

l NZPA-Reuter Bagda r. The Arab summit meetin I'in Bagdad decided to impos sanctions on Egypt becaus ? of President Anwar Sadat' ’ peace policy, the Palest in f Liberation Organisation leac > er, Mr Yasser Arafat, sai yesterday. i But from the nature of th - sanctions revealed by Pales - tinian sources, it appearei - that conservative leader ■ had partially won a batt I , for moderation. Mr Arafat said the summi i. resolution, including sant - lions, would be announce, r later by the Iraqi Foreigi .(Minister (Dr Saddoun Ham limadi). the official conferems (spokesman. Dr Hammadi told a pres (conference when the summi ■ 'meeting ended that he coul< ■ not disclose the conferenci fl resolution | But senior Palestiniar .(sources told NZPA-Reute (that the approved sanction.- — to be imposed whet Egypt signed its proposer peace treaty with Israel — included a boycott of al Egyptian companies dealing (with Israel. | The summit meeting had also decided that ' Aral League meetings would nt longer be held at the league's headquarters ir Cairo, the sources said The sanctions were not likely to have much impact on Egypt’s economy. No (boycott or Egypt itself appeared to have been approved, and no mention was made of cutting Arab aid tc Egypt. I The Palestinian sources said the summit meeting had approved the setting up of a S3OOOM fund to help those Still confronting Israel — Syria, Jordan, and the P.L.O. Arab Foreign and Finance Ministers would meet in three months to decide the workings of the fund and how much aid should go to Lebanon. The summit meeting, held I in Egypt’s absence, ended (with a declaration calling on (Egypt to renounce its Camp ( David peace I Irael and to break off its (peace treaty negotiations. ■ In Washington, work being almost complete on

lj|ihe diplomatic aspects of an Israeli - Egyptian peace 'treaty. negotiations have re(sumed with the focus on "(military issues. ‘ The military annex to the , n main treaty will cover 'he specific demarcation line for _ the interim Israeli military II withdrawal as it returns the /Sinai to Egypt. In Jerusalem, the Israeli j I Cabinet has been discussing b' the treaty. Ministers are reported to bi' concerned "(about President Sadat’s " emphasis on a firm linkage ' between a Sinai accord and the future of the occupied ff West Bank. 1 It had been understood in °! Israel that the problem had ’■ been solved by mention of ’’ the West Bank autonomy |S issue in the preamble to the 0 Sinai agreement, together with an exchange of letters s referring to speedy impled mentation of measures leada ing to the establishment of e an autonomous, West Bank “(body to look after Palestinian affairs. e Another matter said to n concern Israeli Ministers is ® that planners say it may “'take more than three years 0 to construct alternative air bases in the Negav to red place those to be abandoned d by Israel in the Sinai within n (three years. p The Israelis would like an I i extension of this period to s| enable the completion of the new bases. But the Egypk|tians are reported to have n rejected any extension.