Cable Briefs

Press, 11 August 1980, Page 6

Cable Briefs

Blockade fails The first attempt to stop a big convoy from reaching its destination at Noonkanbah in Western Australia’s far north failed yesterday and resulted in six trade unionists being arrested. About 40 trade unionists. Aboriginals, women, and children gathered on the north-west coastal highway to wait for the 32 big semi-trailers carrying I supplies and oil-rig equip-1 ment to the Noonkanbah! station. Some were arrested! when they stepped in frontj of the slow-moving convoy. > Aboriginals have been trying through the courts and bypolitical means to halt oil exploration at Noonkanbah, which they say is a sacred area. — Perth. Chun hint

Ail South Korean newspapers at Jhe week-end lead with reports that the United States would support the South Korean Army strongman General Chun Doo Hwan if he consolidated his near total power by taking over the presidency. Western diplomats said the fact that the report was passed by the military censors and given prominent coverage indicates that this is probably General Chun’s intention. — Seoul.

N, Korean offer A high-ranking North Korean official has said that United States troop withdrawal is no longer a prerequisite for peace talks between the United States and North Korea, the “Mainichi” newspaper has reported' in Tokyo. Kim Yong Nam, director of the North Korean Workers’ (Communist) Party’s foreign affairs department, was also reported to have said that the North Korean Government was ready to begin talks with the United States about a peace agreement to replace the' present armistice, the “Mainichi” said. — Tokyo.

Unity move fails The Lebanese Prime Min-ister-designate, Takieddine Solh, has announced that he is abandoning an attempt to form a government of national unity in Lebanon after 20 days of fruitless negotiations. Mr Solh, aged 71, a veteran Muslim politician and former’ Prime Minister, handed to President Elias Sarkis, a letter setting out his failure. He had tried to bring together leaders of Lebanon’s warring factions and end more than five; years of sectarian strife. — Beirut

Visit cut short A. five-man delegation from the exiled Dalai Lama which was ■ ordered to cut short a recent fact-finding visit to Tibet has left China without having resolved . its dispute with the Chinese authorities. The group was the second of five delegations of Tibetan exiles to be allowed back to see whether conditions are ripe for the Dalai Lama’s return to his homeland. The regional government in Lhasa cut short their visit to Tibet on July 31 a week ahead of schedule after they had made speeches which had attracted emotional demonstrations of support from local Tibetans. The Chinese have been trying to coax the Dalai back to Tibet. — Peking.