PLO Official Warns France It Must Recognize the PLO As Sole Representative of Palestinians

Ibrahim Souss, the Palestine Liberation Organization representative in France, said here yesterday that the European Middle East initiative was dead and that each country, particularly France, would now be judged individually by the PLO.

In an interview with the French news agency, Agence Centrale de Presse (ACP), Souss said the PLO was disappointed with France and felt the country’s Mideast policy had taken a step backwards since the new Socialist government of Francois Mitterrand came to power last May. He warned that the PLO is “not prepared to wait indefinitely” for France to recognize the PLO “as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.”

The French authorities, Souss charged, “are talking too much about the security of Israel and no longer regard a Middle East settlement as a priority. Thus we are counting on the government to show some sign of movement in the near future.” He said he saw no obstacle to France recognizing the PLO. “It could take any form,” he said. “A public declaration, a change in the status of the PLO bureau in France, in brief, something concrete.”

Souss said the PLO would ask the Arab League foreign ministers’ meeting in Tunis next month to judge each European country separately and take appropriate action. “At one time we were lured with an eventual European initiative. At that time we were told to wait while this develops. We are no longer interested in the European initiatives, if there ever was one. Let’s not talk about this. It’s finished.”

Leaders of the European Economic Community (EEC) agreed at their summit meeting in Venice last year to work toward a European initiative in the Mideast and called for the PLO to participate in the peace talks. Since then, however, differences of opinion have developed among the EEC countries which has led to an unofficial shelving of the effort.

PLO VIEW OF ISRAEL

Asked about the PLO position on recognizing Israel, Souss said: “There is one thing which must be clear: We will never recognize Israel because recognition is an act of sovereignty. There is no Palestinian sovereignty. Sovereignty means territory. And territory means the establishment of the structures of a state.”

Asked whether French Foreign Minister Claude Cheysson would meet PLO chief Yasir Arafat in Beirut during a Middle East tour at the end of next week, he said: “We have agreed to the meeting, now it is up to the French side.”

Cheysson will visit Jordan, Lebanon and Syria from Aug. 28 to 30. French newspapers have quoted informed official sources saying the meeting will take place. Cheysson would not be the first French Foreign Minister to meet Arafat. Former Foreign Minister Jean Sauvagnargues met the PLO leader shortly after former President Valery Giscard d ‘Estaing took office in 1974.