The European Community, with France in the lead, has appealed to the Palestine Liberation Organization to intercede for the release of European nationals detained by Iraqi forces in Kuwait and in Iraq itself.
There are said to be more than 5,000 citizens of the 12 E.C. member states involved, including 400 French nationals. No mention was made of some 3,000 Americans, mostly in Kuwait, who were prevented from leaving after Iraqi troops invaded that country on Aug.2.
The representations on behalf of the E.C. and France were made by Claude Cheysson, a former foreign minister of France who is now E.C. commissioner for Mediterranean affairs.
He met Tuesday in Tunis with PLO Chairman Yasir Arafat, one of the few Arab leaders to support Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in the Persian Gulf conflict.
Cheysson said on his return here Wednesday that Arafat already has intervened on behalf of the European detainees and promised he would again.
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