In another ironic twist to the current Middle East situation, intervention by Saudi Arabia with European Community leaders prevented the E.C. from adopting the Soviet proposal for an international peace conference, thereby linking the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with the situation in the Persian Gulf, according to Ha’aretz.
The proposal, reportedly discussed at the E.C.’s foreign ministers meeting last week, received the support of the foreign ministers of France, Italy and Germany.
Intensive activity on the part of Israeli ambassadors to member countries of the E.C. as well as the Israeli mission to the E.C. in Brussels failed to block the draft proposal.
According to reports arriving in Jerusalem, it was Saudi diplomats in Europe who blocked the decision, claiming it would be credited to Saddam Hussein and would strengthen his standing in the Arab world.
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