Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 21, 1990 TAG: 9006210228
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: The Baltimore Sun
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
Clearly reluctant to close one avenue to progress in the Middle East and worried about new violence that could result, Bush said the United States would "promptly resume the dialogue" once the PLO met American conditions.
"The U.S.-PLO dialogue has demonstrated that it can advance the Arab-Israeli peace process, and at the same time the dialogue is based on the assumption that the PLO is willing to abide by the conditions it accepted" before the talks began, Bush said.
The dialogue, between the U.S. ambassador in Tunisia and PLO leaders based there, began in December 1988 after PLO Chairman Yassir Arafat said he accepted Israel's right to exist and renounced terrorism.
A PLO spokesman called Bush's action "a provocation to all Arab states" and predicted the Palestinian uprising in the Israeli-occupied territories "will continue with greater intensity because we have no other alternative."
Israel, which had opposed U.S.-PLO contacts, hailed the move and said it "will enhance and promote the peace process and will encourage those Palestinians seeking peace with Israel to seize upon this opportunity to begin a direct dialogue with Israel."
The Palestine Liberation Front, which claimed responsibility for the May 30 seaborne raid, is headed by PLO executive committee member Abu Abbas, who led the Achille Lauro hijacking.
Bush said both the size of the force involved in the raid, thwarted by Israelis, and the target area "strongly indicate that civilians would have been the targets."
Israeli officials said again Wednesday that the U.S. Embassy also was a target of the commandos.
Despite repeated meetings with the PLO and intercession by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and others, the PLO refused to do more than issue a statement condemning attacks against civilians in general and announce its own inquiry.
"We've given the PLO ample time to deal with this issue," Bush said at a news conference in Alabama.
Bush made note of the opposition to his move by allies and particularly among moderate Arabs, and said he was "concerned" that it would play into the hands of Arab hard-liners.
But he said the United States "can't digest [contacts with the PLO] as long as this terrorist act is sticking in our throat." He also reiterated the administration's prodding of Israel to resume the peace process seriously.
by CNB