Outposts a must — Israel

Press, 21 January 1983, Page 6

Outposts a must — Israel

NZPA-Reuter Tel Aviv Israel and Lebanon resume talks today. Israel insisting that the presence of its soldiers at early warning stations in southern Lebanon is a firm condition for withdrawal from the rest of the country. Israeli. Lebanese and American representatives are meeting in Kiryat Shmona for the latest round in talks aimed at getting Israeli. Syrian, and Palestine Liberation Organisation forces out of Lebanon and bringing about a more peaceful relationship between the Israelis and Lebanese. But the Israeli Foreign Minister. Mr Yitzhak Shamir.

said in a radio interview that Israel would insist on setting up early warning stations on high peaks in the Shouf Mountains to be manned by Israeli soldiers even after a withdrawal. “We are firm in our demand that Israeli soldiers man the early warning stations for a temporary period, until the Lebanese Army can control the area." he said. Lebanon has already rejected Israel's demand for Israeli-manned electronic surveillance stations as a condition for the withdrawal of Israeli troops. Mr Shamir was speaking between two rounds of talks with the American special envoy, Philip Habib, in

Jerusalem. Mr Shamir emphasised that the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon would be the last stage in any process worked out in the talks, held alternately in Kiryat Shmona and Khalde. He rejected any idea that the early warning stations should be manned by American soldiers and said that the Israelis should stay there hopefully for a short period, but for years if necessary.

Israel wanted Israeli and Lebanese forces to maintain joint patrols of southern Lebanon to ensure that no P.L.O. soldiers were active in the area. Meanwhile, the Italian and American defence chiefs have agreed to keep their

military peace-keeping forces in Beirut as long as necessary and in accordance with the desire of the Lebanese Government. The American Defence Secretary, Mr Caspar Weinberger, and the Italian Defence Minister, Mr Lelio Lagorio, gave the pledge in a communique after talks at the Pentagon. The communique also said that Mr Weinberger and Mr Lagorio had confirmed that N.A.T.O. countries should go ahead with the installation of intermediate-range Pershing II ballistic missiles and ground-launched cruise missiles in Western Europe in case satisfactory agreement with the Soviet Union is not achieved on plans to cut weapons on both sides.