U.S., PLO: 7 YEARS OF SECRET CONTACTS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000605700003-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 2, 2010
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: July 5, 1981
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

STAT Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/02 :CIA-RDP90-005528000605700003-2
~~~`_ ~ ~ -
LOJ I~llui,l'.'.S 1li~S
5 July 19oi
.._ ByDOYLE bicbIANUS,TimesStaf f_Waster ..~,:~- _-..-_-_.-~.,
?~ tiV ~.SHPTGTON-Despite putilic~ - ado direct contact with PLOD offi
pronouncements. emphasizing thaC vials several times for conversations
negotiations whir the ~yPalestinei on`fhe" securgf thd-:.embassy.:
Liberation Organizatioa.are:prohi~. _which=is ii~PaIestuuan~atrolled
bited, the United States has been in - area,_According'.to some .sources,.~_
secret: contact~witfi ~tfie`PLO for-at -those security talks have occasion.:
1~asL seven years=holding~discus=~" ally slipped~into.wide=ranging dis
scone. :under fou~Presideats, fro-~~ussions.onthe?situation-in Leban? .
Richard -Ninon LO ~Ranald Reagan, onc.And.ihe UnitedStates has nego--;
on subjects ranging from the safety, ? tinted ~ indirect}vitTib;"the, , ~I.O ?
of American ;diplomats : to the:;'President: Jurimy.- .Gaiter=can~ied on -.
chances forMiddle East peace, The.- a.IOng,secretrouad-oftalksthrough
Times haaIearned. ; _ ~,_ _~? -- .. officiaL~of several Arab countries. to
:~i.' ~ - ~.~ -.
the PLO-as,longas the guerrillas--. ,.:.Whether:the;United.States?talks;
"a gang of thugs.,": in President Rea- with,:the PLO:.and ;on'.what basis,, ;
Israel's right to eaist:: " ,. Arab=Israeli; ~conftict.:~ Most Pales
~_a .L_.-.__~_..~_e tin "~~_~ .. -- _ `` --` -"
ligence operation, and secret diplo- habited the,.-Iand.:on :which :Israel:
_____ 1___ i._. ___r~.rL_ ____~._ ? - .3 __ -. --f? ._ _ - - _. -- -
initiated by Secretary of State ]3en~ ~ -dude the PLO..T '; f?
y,.~~
~ v r;
,
_ ,
ry ~ Kissinger in I974~ according to ', - Diplomab';giew; t; j -:.:-
well-placed sources in Washington -~~~r
.,..a ne:....?..,.e. rr..:.e.~. c....,,_._,..,- -' MaIIy'American diplomats m~the
been talking tothe.PLd more often truaa-e r~as~.mauuaui pnvaLeLy r.aa~
,,,,,,,,,,,* ml.al~...re.'s;,,,,,,;;;~;,;,~;,;,~ r-o?-peacC~isxpossible+.without~the-
made - twa concerted., attempts- to .': ""'!'?""" "' ?""?` ?"" ""' "`""`
It ~s-not possible to get support fors.
b.`-ing.thePL4intopeace~talkswith- : ~ ~ settlement; on the (Israeli-oceu--
Israel, carrying , on, extensive in- ,.
,~,..o... ,.va.,..;~.;,,,...,.;:,, nrn ,.,,;es Pied) VyestBankwithoutthe,PLO,
Lon naemnauans~ or me; races-
.- ~:,,:.,,.......e ?lT~e ~ ~ T.7~~ ~eSV]ngOffICe. __ c.3 r:., s:~:'~"~'?:
s_~ 3'.c.
..qute :con-~ ~ ~,.,. ~~.a~~. ,~a..~.~, .u~,,..a..~~-~
- S Prime?~Nlinister.Meaachem Begin,
mu u e 4 . -:. e ; and.' fhe< opposition leader, Shuagn
e Bence en , an e. Peres; ans~st that they will never~t
:: down with' the guenzltas:: "This or1
. ~` tru '` ~' ~~~ '~ ~' -ganization? is =~killin"gl'iaen, -~vomenti
Secret `~~ Cbaenst'+^e~ ~ ~' and ciuldren and it cazinot be'a ~ia~
The history of contacts; moiefre=' ig~ tu`negotiat3on~" Begin: saxt eat ~
quent and extensive thaaprevtous--?, izerihis:year.. ~?~ti-?'1~ ~ .Y~'- `~ -_~
ly Down;. ~suggests,~.that~'ofScial.. ~~afat?.and other'~~'LO officials:
dealings between the'U.S:`.gogerti.-: ` boast-thaEttieyalready have thecI~'
ment and the PLO., are not.the exr.. Facto precognition=~of ~most~of `the"
ception-as it general>3r' thoughC ~ ~ ":.world; but they still want the Uri~t~
but the rule. ~ "'' .. `. ; ` ~' . ' . ed,Staies to_recognize them openly .
Some of the talks have one ~or~`tliat:=wou~d greatly'strengihe~.
t ro a secre a an ~ their ;claim?`ta. a'place .in aegoti~
_ Bence o e' . az' ;'.
tion. for the: saiQe reason.
In 197;...
?
.
Rasd."'~ or' ' urv Dart--' "~ the Israelis even exacted a ~iritten~
-mend`-T.~.T`~,. *??~?'~~prozmse~fioII1..KL~irigEr`that-,the
"-Sut'3here is a'~'ftont~~cl~annel_?.=?'~ 'IIrritect States would "not recognize
nQx.negotiate with the Palestine~Litiera~ion Organization '`
sq long: as the PLO- does not