REP. FOWLER' S CALL ON SYRIAN FOREIGN MINISTER KHADDAM--FEBRUARY 15

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90B01370R000801030025-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 19, 2010
• Sequence Number: 25
• Publication Date: February 16, 1984
• Content Type: CABLE

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/01/20: CIA-RDP90BO137OR000801030025-3
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22 FRP3 92.39 ,5, . ,8
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RUEH.1/AMEMbASSY JIDDA IMMEDIATE 7580
kUEHF H/USELU RIYADH IMMEDIATE 3250
RUEHIV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV IMMEDIATE 95 fi
RUEH.?M/AMCUNSUL JERU5At,.EM PRIORITY 6728
87
UAMASCUS 01230
E.0. 123563b DECLS OADR
TA(aSZ MOPS, PREL, PGOV, PINS. Sy. LE9 US
SUBJECTS REP. FOwt.'ER'S CALL ON SYRIAN FOREIGN MINISTER
- KHADDAM - FEBRUARY 15
CUb-F Tm,04 1 Alm
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TOR: 1610,`1.Z FEB 84
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2. SUMMARY: SYRIAN FOREIGN MINISTER KHADDAM AFFIRMED 10
CUDEL FO*LEk FEBRUARY 15 THAT IT WAS SrpIA'S POLICY IN
THE WAKE OF THE DRUZE DEFEAT OF THE LAF TO ACHIEVE AN
IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE, CONVENE AN "EXPANnFD" NATIONAL
DIALU6VE CONFERENCE AND TO REJECT THE IMPOSITION OF A
POLITICAL SOLUTION BY MILITARY MEANS. KHADDAM INSISTED
THAT BEFORE POLITICAL PROGRESS COULD BF MADE, GEMAYEL
HAD TU ABROGATE THE MAY 17 AGREEMENT ABROGATICN COULD
NOT BE PART OF THE DIALOGUE CONFERENCE. JUST AS FIRMLY
KHADDAM STATED THAT SYRIA WANTED GEMAYFI TO PLAY HIS RULE
AS PRESIDENT OF LEBANON DURING THE CURpFNT SITUATION.
KHADDAM ALSO CLAIMED THAT SYRIA IS HOLDING BACK THE DRUZE
AND 5HIA' FROM FURTHER MILITARY MOVES TN ORDER TO AVOID
A WINNER/LOSER SITUATION, WHICH IN THEIR VIEW WOULD
PRECLUDE A SETTLEMENT IN LEBANON. BECAUSE OF TIME
CONS7kA1NTS, AMBASSADOR WAS ABLE TO INTFRVENE IN THIS
DISCUSSION ONLY BRIEFLY. HE DISAGREED ,ITH KHADDAM'S
CATALOGUE OF ALLEGED US POLICY ERRORS, ARGUED AGAINST MAKING
MAY 17 ABROGATION A PRECONDITION TO RFXUMPTIUN OF NATIONAL
RECONCILIATION DIALOGUE AND WARNED THAT US WOULD DEFEND ITS
FORCES IN LEBANON.
30 FONMIN KHADDAM RECEIVED CONGRESSMAN WYCHE FOWLER FOR
90 MINUTES Al 1100 LT FEB 15. AMBASSADOR, POLCOUNS AND
POLOFF ACCOMPANIED. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MEETING ARE CON-
TAINED IN REFTEL. FOLLOWING IS FULL MFMCON.
40 ASKED HUN SARG NON VIEWS THE LEBANESE SITUATION,
FOLLOWING THE PSP MILITARY ADVANCES THAT PREVIOUS EVENING,
KHADDAM SAID THAT SYRIA'S BASIC PROBLEM IS Tr-AT THE USG
HAS NUT TRIED TO UNDERSTAND THE FACTS. THE RESULT HAS
BEEN BAD FOR LEBANON AND FOR THE USG'S REGIONAL REPUTATION.
FOR EXAMPLE, PRESIDENT REAGAN HAS RECENTLY SAID THE MARINES
WOULD REMAIN To BUILD UP THE LAF SO THAT IT WOULC BE ABLE
TO FACE 75,000 SYRIAN TROOPS, IN FACT. THE PROBLEM WAS
NOT THE U.S. VERSUS THE SYRIAN ARMY AND IN ANY CASE THE
LEBANESE ARMY HAS DISINTEGRATED. SYRIA HAS WARNED THE USG,
INCLUDING kUMSFELD, MANY TIMES THAT THE LAF eOULD COLLAPSE
IF 11 ENGAGED IN COMBAT. THE LAF ATTACKED THE SOUTHERN
SUBURBS AND IT HAS NOW DIVIDED. THE BRUTAL SHELLING ON
SOUTH BEIRUT HAS MADE A 100,000 HOMELESS. SYRIA WARNED
RUMSFELD TU HAVE AMIN KEEP THE ARMY OUT OF THE WAR ww ALL
CONFInFNTIAL
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 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/01/20: CIA-RDP90BO137OR000801030025-3
CONFInpNTIAL
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TORS 1b16A1Z FES 84
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OF THIS CALAMITY COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDpn IF RUMSFELU
HAD PRESSED GEMAYEL TO ACCEPT THE SECUpTTY PLAN AND
PROMOTE THE DRUZE OFFICERS. ARTILLERY rANNOT, REPEAT
NOT. SOLVE A PROBLEM WHICH SPRINGS FROM THE NECESSITY TU
RECREATE CONFESSIONAL BALANCE, USG SHn?LU NUT HAVE
EMBROILED ITSELF ON ONE SIDE, THE SIDE nF A SMALL FASCIST
MINORITY WHICH HAS NOW DRIVEN 25,000 ARMY MEMBERS INTO
THE OPPOSITIUN,
S. KHADDAM SAID SARG HAS NOW ADVISED TKE UPPUSITION TO
STOP ITS MILITARY OPPOSITION AT THE PpFSENT LIMIT,
THIS IS BECAUSE SYRIA BELIEVES SOLUTION CANNOT COME BY
THE VICTORY OF ONE SIDE OVER ANOTHER, SARG 15 PLEASED
WITH CERTAIN SUCCESSES ACHIEVED BY THE 1PPOSITION, BUT
RECONCILIATION MUST BE BASED ON BALANrF AND AVOIDING A
WiNNEk/LOSER OUTCOME, SYRIA WILL THERFpURE CONTINUE ITS
POLICY WHICH IS BASED ON THE NEED FOR epASEFIRE, A NATIONAL
DIALOGUE CONFERENCE, AND REJECTION OF THE NOTION THAT
POLITICAL SOLUTION CAN BE IMPOSED BY MT1ITARY MEANS.
NATIONAL DIALOGUE IS CRITICAL, SYRIA K11PPORTS THE
OPPOSITION VIEW THAT THERE MUST BE Abk(ICATION OF THE
MAY 17 AGREEMENT AND THE LEBANESE MUST MEET AT ONE TABLE
"ON EQUAL FOOTING."
be ASKED WHAT SYRIAN GOALS WERE IN LER,NON, KHADDAM
SAID SYRIA HAS ABSOLUTELY NO TERRITORIA1 DESIGNS; TALK
OF ANNEXATION OR "GREATER SYRIA" IN THTS CONNECTION 15
ISRAELI BLACKMAIL, ISRAEL WANTS A GREATER ISRAEL. SYRIA
*ANTS A SOVEREIGN AND INDEPENDENT LEBANESE STATE WITH
WHICH IT WOULD CONTINUE TO ENJOY A SPEeTAL RELATIONSHIP.
L.IKE*ISE, SYRIA HAS NO POLITICAL DESIGNS IN LEBANON BUT
SEEKS NATIONAL RECONCILIATION, FURTHEp. SYRIA HAS NO
ECONOMIC DESIGNS; ON THE CONTRARY, THE IEBANESE DEPEND ON
A LARGE MARKET IN SYRIA FOR THEIR PROD1irE, A STRONG
LEBANON IS IN SYRIA'S INTEREST AND SINrp THE WAR BEGAN
E.U. 1235b3b DECLI OADk
TAGSZ MOPS, PREL, PGOV, PINS9 Sy. LE, US
SUBJECT! REP, FOWLER'S CALL UN SYRIAN FOREIGN MINISTER
CONFInpNTIAL
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 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/01/20: CIA-RDP90BO137OR000801030025-3
CONFInFNTIAL
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TGRI 161&41Z FEB 84
IN 1975, SYkiA HAS CONSISTENTLY ADVUCATFD A SOVEREIGN
LEBANON.
7. REP FOWLER ASKED HOW THE DOMESTIC pFFURM PROBLEM
COULD BE SOLVEDI BY A NEW NATIONAL PACT?
BY A 6NU PITH GEMAYEL? WITHOUT HIM? KWADOAM SAID THE
BASIC FACT WHICH MUST BE UNDERSTOOD 15 THAT THERE w1LL BE
NO STABILITY IF ANY LEBANESE REGIME IS nOMINATED BY A
SINGLE SIDE. SYRIA SEES NOTHING WHICH "WOULD PREVENT
A GNU WiTH GEMAYEL AS PRESIDENT,"
8. ACKNOWLEDGING THE CONGRESSMAN'S POINT THAT JUMBLATT
AND bARRI HAVE CALLED FOR GEMAYEL'S OUSTER, KNADDAM SAID
THAT TJIEY HAVE THEIR OWN SPECIAL CONCEpNS STEMMING FROM
THE TREMENDOUS DAMAGE DONE IN THE SHUF AND SOUTH
BEIRUT. SYRIA. HOWEVER. BELIEVES ALL9 REPEAT ALL. PARTIES
SHOULD SIT AND TALK.
9. THE CONGRESSMAN ASKED WHAT COMMITMFNTS SYRIA WOULD
MAKE 10 VITHDRAW FOLLOWING THE WITHDRAWAL OF ALL FOREIGN
FORCES AND WHETHER SYRIA WOULD ENTER INTO AN INTERNATIONAL
ARRANGEMENT TO INSURE LEBANESE SOVEREIC.NTY AND TERRITORIAL
INTEGRITY INCLUDING A PROHIBITION ON TWF PRESENCE OF ANY
FOREIGN FORCES UR TERRORIST ORGANIZATInN. KNADDAM SAID
SYRIA HAI) SUPPORTED LEBANESE SOVEREIGNTY SINCE 1943. HE
SAID THAT IRONICALLY SYRIAN INFLUENCE THERE WAS STRONGER
PRIOR TD THE ENTRANCE OF SYRIAN TROOPS. SYRIA'S IN-
FLUENCE IN LEBANON IS. IN FACT. NOT DEpFNDENT ON MILITARY
PRESENCE. AS SOON AS MAY 17 IS ABROGATFO AND MNF AND
IOF WITHDRAWAL COMPLETED. THERE IS NO NFED FUR SYRIAN
MILITARY PRESENCE AND SYRIA WOULD RESPOND IMMEDIATELY TO
A GOL REQUEST TO KITHDRAW.
10. CONGRESSMAN FOWLER PRESSED KNADDAM ON THE IDEA OF
AN INTERNATIONAL GUARANTEE. KHADDAM SATO HE-HAD NOT
HEARD SUCH A SUGGESTION BEFORE. ANU IT HAD NUT BEEN
DISCUSSED WITHIN SARG, HE COULD NOT TWFREFORE RESPOND AT
PRESENT TO THE IDEA OF AN INTERNATIONA1 PACT*
ii. THERE FOLLOWED AN EXCHANGE DURING WHICH THE CONGRESS-
MAN SOUGHT TO ELICIT SYRIAN VIEWS ON TWF EXISTENCE
CONFIDFNTIAL
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TORS 161py1Z FEb 84
OF LL61T1MATE INTERESTS IN LEBANON AND THE REGION BY
THE USG AND THE USSR, KHADDAM SAID EVFgY COUNTRY HAS
AN INTEREST IN EVERY OTHER COUNTRY, AS 1ONG AS THERE
IS NU EFFORT TO IMPOSE HEGEMONY OR EXP1nIT RESOURCES.
120 THE CONGRESSMAN ASKED WHAT THE MA,10R IMPEDIMENTS.
ARE TO BETTER SYRIAN-U.S. RELATIONS. KHADDAM SAID NO
OBSTACLE HAS BEEN PLACED IN THE ROAD By SYRIA. WHEN
THE CONGRESSMAN PRESSED, KHADDAM SAID TT IS THE USG
WHICH IS PROVOKING SYRIA; SARG HAS NOT RUNE TO MEXICO TO
PROVOKE THE USG. SYRIA DOES WANT MFTTER RELATIONS
ON THE BASIS OF MUTUAL RESPECT AND NUN.TNTERFERENCE
IN DOMESTIC AFFAIRS. THE USG SHOULD ACT IN THE REGION LIKE
THE SUPERPOWER IT iS, I.E.? IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS
RESPONSIBILITIES FOR-PEACE AS DEFINED Rv THE UN CHARTER.
139 KHADDAM SAID THERE ARE TWO PROBLEMS BETWEEN US.
FIRST, THE "HOT" LEBANESE ISSUE, WHERE THE AMERICAN
ROLE SHOULD BE TRANSFORMED INTO A POSITIVE ONE BY
WITHDkAIING U.S. TROOPSN MCVING THE FLFFT OFFSHORE,
HELPING TO PUSH THE VARIOUS PARTIES,1NTn A DIALOGUE,
AND "NOT PRESSING GEMAYEL TO PREVENT HTM FROM GETTING
RID OF THE MAY 17 AGREEMENT" (I.E.., A1;OWING GEMAYEL '7O
ABROGATE THE AGREEMENT). SECOND, THE UVFRALL MIDDLE
EAST DISPUTE, WHERE THE U.S. WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE
DIFFICULTY BEING A MEDIATOR AS LUNG AS jj.S. POLICY IN
THE AREA IS THE SAME AS ISRAELI POLICY. HE POINTED OU7
THAT BETWEEN GOOD RELATIONS AND BAD RE1*TIONS EXISTS THE
STATE OF NORMAL RELATIONSN, WHICH PREVATLED BETWEEN THE::
U.S. AND SYRIA FOR SOME YEARS. NOW9 TNF U.S. WAS WAVING
THE BIG STICK AT SYRIA WHICH WAS UNACCFpTABLE.
E.O. 1235636 DECL S OADR
TAGS= MOPS, PREL, PGCV, PINS9 Sy. LE, US
SUBJECTS REP. FOWLER'S CALL ON SYRTAN FOREIGN MINISTER
14. CONGRESSMAN FOWLER ASKED IF THERE WERE ANY CTHEk
OBSTACLES TO EGYPT'S REENTRY TO THE ARAR LEAGUE BESIDES
THE CAMP DAVID AGREEMENT. KHADDAM REP1TED "NONE AT ALL".
THE CONGRESSMAN AND KHADDAM THEN ENGAGFn IN A LONG DIS-
CTNF1OFNTIAL
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TOR: 161&&1Z FEB 84
CUSSION OVER THE GREAT DIFFERENCE BET$PFFN SYRIA'S GOAL OF
ARAB UNITY AND ITS ACTUAL ISOLATION FRnM MOST OF THE
ARAB COUNTRIES. IN ESSENCE. KMADDAM MAINTAINED THAT SYRIA
RECOGNIZED THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LONG TERM IDEOLOGICAL
GOALS AND SHORT TERM POLITICAL REALITIES.
15. CONGRESSMAN FOWLER THEN RAISED WHAT HE CALLED A SENSI-
TIVE POLITICAL ISSUE WHICH CONCERNED MANY AMERICANS. NAMELY
THE POSSIBILITY OF A COMPLETE PRISONER EXCHANGE BETWEEN
SYRIA AND ISRAEL ALONG WITH AN ACCOUNTTNG OF MIA?S. HE
SAID THE U.S. CONGRESS HOPED TO SEE AN FXCHANGE IN THE
NEAR FUTURE. KHADDA.M SAID THAT SYRIA WANTED AN EXCHANGE
BUT THAT THE ISRAELIS ARE BLOCKING PROGRESS. HE SAID THAT
THE U.S. HAD PROPOSED THE EXCHANGE TO TOE SYRIANS WHO HAD
ACCEPTED AND WERE NOW WAITING FOR A REpSY FROM ISRAEL VIA
THE ICRC. KMADDAM SAW SOME VALUE IN FnWLER'S SUGGESTION
THAT SYRIA MAKE A CLEAR PUBLIC STATEMENT OF ITS WILLINGNESS
TO NEGOTIATE A PRISONER EXCHANGE.
16. CONGRESSMAN FOWLER THEN NOTED THAT PERHAPS SYRIA'S
EXPERIENCE WITH THE 1974 GOLAN DISENGAGEMENT AGREEMENT
COULD BE APPLIED TO SOUTHERN LEBANON. WE APPRECIATED THE
FACT THAT SYRIA HAD KEPT ITS WORD ON 8inCKING GUERILLA
INFILTRATION ACROSS THE SYRIAN BORDER. KMADDAM. AROUSED.
IMMEDIATELY CONTRADICTED FONLLR. SAYING THAT KISSINGER MAD
PROPOSED A SYRIAN PLEDGE ON INFILTRATIn, BUT THAT THE
SYRIANS HAD REJECTED THE IDEA AS PART nF THE DISENGAGEMENT
AGREEMENT.
179 AT THIS POINT THE AMBASSADOR INTERJECTED THAT AS
THE PRESIDENT'S REPRESENTATIVE IN SYRIA HE HAD TO STATE
THAT HE COULD NUT AGREE WITH KHADDAM'S CATALOG OF U.S.
POLICY "ERRORS". BUT HE WANTED TO DISCUSS WITH KHADDAM
WHAT WAS GOING ON IN LEBANON AT THE MOMENT. HE NOTED THAT
THE U.S. AND SYRIA OFTEN HAVE A UNITY nF VIEWS ON WHAT
SHOULD HAPPEN IN LEBANON TO MOVE TOWAkn A SETTLEMENT. HE
WAS PLEASED TO HEAR KHADDAM SAY THAT AMIN GEMAYEL MUST
PLAY HIS ROLE AS PRESIDENT IN THE CURRFNT SITUATION; THAT
THERE SHOULD BE A CEASEFIRE IMMEDIATELY; AND THAT THERE
SHOULD BE NO ATTEMPT TO IMPOSE A MILITARY SOLUTION TO
THE LEBANESE PROBLEM. WITH ALL THIS IN MIND. THE
CUNFInFNTIAL
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AMbASSAUUk ASKED. WHY DID JUMBLATT ATTACK WHILE-SOME
POLITICAL PROGRESS APPEARED TO BE IN TNF OFFING?
The KHADDAM SAID THE ATTACK WAS A (PSoIREPLY TO PRESIDENT
kEAGAN?S STATEMENT IN WHICH HE SAID THAT THE U.S. WOULD
FIGHT ON THE SIDE OF GEMAYEL? WHU HAD ATTACKED THE
CIVILIAN POPULATION OF THE SOUTHERN SUpI,RBS AND DRIVEN
OUT 1009000 CITIZENS. THIS LED GEMAYEj?S OPPONENTS TO
BELIEVE THAT THE ARMY HAD TO BE BROKEN I)P. KHADDAM SAID
THAT THE SYRIANS HAD TOLD EVERY U.S. ENVOY THAT THE USE
OF THE LAF AGAINST LEBANESE CITIZENS wnL,LU LEAD TO ITS
COLLAPSE. KHADDAM ARGUED THAT THE U.S. XHOULD BEAR ALL
RESPUNSIBILITY FOR THE LAF COLLAPSE ANn ASSERTED THAT
ALL OF THE AMERICAN WARSHIPS COULD NOT IMPOSE A POLITICAL
SOLUTION IN LEBANON -- LEBANON IS NUT GpENADA.
19. CONTINUING IN A FAIRLY EMOTIONAL TINE, KHADDAM ASKED
RHETORICALLY IF SYRIA SHOULD ACT MORE pFSPONSIbLY THAN
A SUPER POWER."UC YOU THINK WE COULD NnT RESPOND WHEN
THE NEW JERSEY SHELLED US LAST WEEK? WF DO NOT WANT
AN ESCALATION. WE HAVE NOT YET CROSSED THE POINT OF NO
RETURN AND WE CAN STILL ACHIEVE CHAT OF BOTH WANT."
KHADDAM SAID HE HAD READ UNDER SE;CRETApr EAGLEBURGER?S
RECENT PUBLIC STATEMENT AND HAD FOUND IT TO BE ANUThER
EXAMPLE OF U.S. IRRESPONSIBILITY" KHADDAM WAS ALSO
DISAPPOINTED WITH SECRETARY SHULTZ'S ATTITUDE SINCE THE
LATTER KNOWS THE MIDDLE EAST AND KHADDAM HAU THOUGHT
IN THE COURSE OF THEIR PERSONAL N+EETINCq THAT SHULTZ HAD
A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROBLEMS.
20. THE AMBASSADOR AGREED THAT THE 816 STICK DIDN?T
WORK IN LEBANON AND ASKED WHY OTHERS LIKE THE DRLZE WERE
TRYING TO USE IT IN A WAY WHICH DAMAGED ONGOING POLITICAL
ACTIVITY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM THERE. KHADDAM RETORTED
THAT 1HE LAF ATTACKS ON THE SOUTHERN SijgURBS WERE
INTOLERABLE IN THE EYES OF THE LEBANESp OPPUSITICN.
KHAUDAM AGREED THAT MORE FIGHTING WOULD NUT SOLVE THE
PROBLEM BUT HE POINTED OUT THAT THE OPpnSITIUN?S RESPONSE
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84 3395909 SCO PAGF 008 NC 3395909
TORT 1b1fi&lZ FEb 84
w w ww ww ww www w ww ww w w ww www w w w w w? ww www www www w.~ww w w ww w w w w w w w w w w w ? w w www? ? w w w w w w w w w w-
E.O. 1235b3b DECL$ OADR
TAGS$ MOPS, PREL? PGOV9 PINS. Sy. LE9 US
SUBJECT= REP. FOWLER'S CALL ON SYRTAN FOREIGN MINISTER
TO THE SOUTHERN SUBURBS ATTACK WAS UNDFpSTANDAdLE.
KHADUAM CLAIMED THAT THE SYRIANS HAD PpFVENTED THE
DRUZE FROM LAUNCHING OPERATIONS FROM SypIANwCUNTROLLED
TERRITORY (1.E.9 THE METN) AND THAT THFY WERE CURkENTLY
RESTRAINING THE DRUZE AND SHI'A SO THAT THERE WOULD BE
NO *INNER AND NO LOSER IN LEBANON.
210 KHADDAM FLATLY ASSERTED THAT THE SYRIANS ARE NOT
INSISTING UN GEMAYEL'S RESIGNATION BUT THAT GEMAYEL
MUST ACT AS THE NSF HAS DECIDED -- FiRST9 ABROGATION OF
THE MAY 17 AGREEMENT, THEN AN "EXPANDEn" GENEVA SUMMIT
WHICH COULD MEET WITHIN A WEEK. AND THFN FORMATION OF
A GNU. DESPITE THE AMBASSADOR'S ARGUMFNTS THAT Thi
AGREEMENT BE PART OF THE POLITICAL DISC,ISSIONS? KHADDAM
INSISTED THAT ABROGATION HAD TO BE THE FIRST STEP.
22. FINALLY* THE AMBASSADOR TOLD KHADnAM HE WISHED TO
RETURN TO THE LATTER'S COMMENT ABOUT "A 816 STICK".
SYRIA SHOULD BE IN NO DOUBT THAT THE Use, WILL ITSELF USE
A 816 STICK IN LEBANON IF BIG STICKS AQF USED AGAINST
OUR FORCES.
23. MEETING WAS TERMINATED BECAUSE KHAnUAM WAS CALLED
10 A1kPURT TO MEET UNEXPECTED FRG VISiTnR FRANZ JOSEF
STRAUSS.
24. THIS MESSAGE WAS NOT CLEARED BY CnNGRESSMAN FOWLER.
25. BEIRUT MINIMIZE CONSIDERED. PAGANFLLI
END OF MESSAGE CONFInFNTIAL
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