Gemayel word on treaty imminent

Press, 5 March 1984, Page 10

Gemayel word on treaty imminent

NZPA-Reuter Beirut Fighting flared in and around Beirut as the Lebanese President, Mr Amin Gemayel, maintained a public silence on his crucial summit meeting last week with the Syrian President, Mr Hafez Assad. Official sources said that Mr Gemayel had promised Mr Assad, who backs rebel Lebanese Muslim militias, that he would meet Syria’s main demand for supporting a political settlement by dropping the troop withdrawal agreement signed by Lebanon and Israel in May last year. -

Officials said that Syrianbacked Opposition leaders were ready to attend talks in Geneva on national reconciliation within days of the accord’s, being dumped. But Mr Gemayel, a Maronite Christian, faces disquiet among many of his own supporters who think he is yielding to Syrian pressure. There was also still no sign of a cease-fire, which officials said Mr Assad had told Mr Gemayel he would support. Artillery shells, rockets, mortar-bombs, grenades, and small-arms fire ripped

across the “green line” dividing Christian east Beirut from the rebel-held, mainly Muslim west of the city.

Official sources said that a cease-fire would go into effect once Syria had held talks with opposition chiefs. The Druse chieftain, Walid Jumblatt, and the Shi’ite leader, Nabih Berri, were in Damascus yesterday. As they consulted Syrian officials, Mr Gemayel flew by helicopter to northern Lebanon to meet a former President, Suleiman Franjieh, and a former Prime Minister, Rashid Karami, both of whom are allied

politically to Messrs Jumblatt and Berri. Mr Franjieh told reporters that what Mr Gemayel had told them was “100 per cent reassuring.” He spoke of “a certain new stand” to be proclaimed by Mr Gemayel today, which he expected “will be the one desired and required.” Another former President, who opposes abrogation, Camille Chamoun, met Fadi Frem, commander of the powerful Christian Lebanese Forces militia, yesterday. Both men had previously threatened stiff opposition

to Mr Gemayel if he dropped the agreement.

Mr Gemayel was due to meet the French Foreign Minister, Mr Claude Cheysson, in Beirut today to discuss withdrawal from the city of 1250 French troops, the last of a four-nation force to pull out. The French are stationed close to the “green line,” and man the only crossingpoint. Mr Cheysson was also due to meet opposition leaders in an effort to prevent fighting over French positions when they withdraw.