European Socialist Leaders Oppose Israel’s Expulsion from the UN

An unscheduled meeting was held today in Stockholm between Israeli Premier Yitzhak Rabin and United Nations Secretary General Kurt Waldheim after Europe’s Social-Democratic leaders expressed unanimous opposition to any Third World attempts to suspend or expel Israel from the United Nations, according to reports here from Stockholm.

Olaf Palme, the Swedish Prime Minister, who was host for the gathering of 11 European leaders, said at a joint press conference, at the close of the meeting which Rabin attended, that “we are all completely unanimous” that suspension or expulsion attempts in the UN against Israel would violate the UN charter and would have “grave consequences” for the future of the UN.

Participants in the conference at the press meeting were British Prime Minister Harold Wilson; West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt; Willy Brant, former Chancellor; Francois Mitterand, the French Socialist leader; Portuguese Socialist leader Mario Soares; Austrian Chancellor Bruno Kreisky; Prime Minister Paul Hartling of Denmark; Norwegian Prime Minister Trigve Bratteli; The Netherlands Prime Minister Joop den Uyl; and Rabin.

ALL ASPECTS OF EXPULSION DISCUSSED

While both Rabin and Waldheim refused to discuss details of their 90-minute talk, held under tight security at a room at the Stockholm airport, Waldheim said they had discussed all aspects of the expulsion issue as well as U.S. efforts to bring about a second Sinai interim accord. Before leaving for Israel after the Waldheim meeting, Rabin said it was vital that Israel make clear its views on the expulsion issue. Before leaving for Israel today, Rabin said that he was “very satisfied” with the Social Democrats’ declaration of opposition to any expulsion by the UN of Israel.

Rabin was asked at Ben Gurion airport Friday, before he departed for the Stockholm conference, whether Israel could sign any agreement with Egypt before the issue of Israel’s UN status was clarified. He said Israel’s policy of conducting negotiations for a second interim accord “is in no way connected with fighting the attempt to have Israel suspended.”

The Premier added, however, that it proponents of Israel’s suspension were successful, which he said he doubted would happen, that would have “implications” for “all the elements” of the UN, and “all the processes” conducted under UN auspices.

BOOSTED BY OAU FAILURE

Meanwhile, Israel received a boost in its fight on the expulsion threat Friday when the Arab bloc in the Organization of African Unity was unable, at the African summit meeting in Kampala, to win endorsement of a resolution calling for Israel’s expulsion from the UN.

After 12 hours of frequently sharp debate, the OAU summit meeting approved a watered-down resolution calling on the OAU countries “to take the most adequate measures to reinforce the pressure exerted on Israel at the United Nations and its specialized agencies, including the possibility of eventually depriving it of its membership in these institutions.”

Among the nations opposing a direct call for Israel’s expulsion was Egypt, apparently out of concern for an adverse impact on the current talks for a second Sinai accord. The resolution was recorded as having been approved without dissent from any of the participants, including Egypt. Then, in a procedure used by the OAU, five countries formally presented reservations about it, with Zaire listing itself as “totally against” the watered-down resolution.

In a related development, Cambodia today called for the expulsion of Israel from the UN, according to radio Phnom Penh, monitored in Paris. In its weekly commentary on foreign affairs, the radio expressed support for those countries which seek Israel’s expulsion. Cambodian radio has previously accused Israel of being “imperialist,” but this was the first time it called for Israel’s expulsion from the world body.