The first week of the debate in the Security Council on the Middle East ended last Friday while behind the scenes negotiations continued among members of the Arab bloc over strategy on a draft resolution.
There were reports that the Council might recess this week without action on a resolution if the continuing stalemate among the Arabs was not resolved. Debate is scheduled to be resumed tomorrow and the U.S. is scheduled to make its major presentation. U.S. Ambassador Daniel P. Moynihan, addressing the B’nai B’rith board of governors in Washington today, gave no indication of the contents of his presentation to the Security Council tomorrow except to say that it has already been prepared and was carefully worded.
The opposing Arab positions are those of Egypt, which reportedly favors a resolution which would not be met with a veto by the United States,which has warned it will use its veto for any resolution which dilutes Council Resolution 242: and Syria which wants a resolution admitting the Palestine Liberation Organization to a reconvened Geneva conference, a resolution recognizing “the national rights of the Palestinian people.”
Kurt Waldheim, UN Secretary General, met last Friday with Israeli Ambassador Chaim Herzog, who has been boycotting the Council debate because the PLO is participating in it. Waldheim also met Friday with Farouk Kaddoumi. the PLO delegation head.
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