The State Department has confirmed that the Palestine Liberation Organization in Lebanon has Soviet tanks and armored vehicles and said this was “deplorable.” But it was unable to say whether the Soviets provided the equipment or by which “avenue” the PLO obtained it.
Israeli military sources reported earlier this week that the PLO has obtained 60 medium tanks and that they are concentrated in the Sidon area of Lebanon. The State Department’s chief spokesman, Hodding Carter, responding to questions yesterday, said:
“We are aware some Soviet tanks and armored vehicles are in the hands of Palestinian armed elements in Lebanon. We don’t know how many so I can’t confirm the numbers. I also cannot confirm they were provided by the Soviets. They are Soviet tanks. I just can’t confirm the avenue by which they fell into Palestinian hands. As far as we know, all this equipment is north of the Litani River. Beyond that, I can’t give you deployments.”
Carter added, “Our reaction to it is that the provision of such equipment is deplorable. There are already too many arms in the hands of the Palestinians, of private groups, of militias in Lebanon. All add to the high level of tension that already exists in that country.”
The Israeli report of tanks in Palestinian hands in Lebanon followed by about two weeks the visit by Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko to Damascus. The Syrian forces in Lebanon are equipped with Soviet-made weapons.
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