The State Department said today that the views expressed on the Palestine Liberation Organization by the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Andrew Young, are Young’s personal observations and represent no policy change by the U.S. toward the PLO. The Department’s chief spokesman, Hooding Carter, stressed that Young understands and support our policy recording the PLO.”
He was responding to questions about Young’s statements in an interview with Interdependent the organ of the United Nations Association of the United States, that American diplomacy is hampered by the lack of “effective relationship with the Palestinian people.” While acknowledging the tremendous influence of the PLO in Arab countries, Young stopped short of advocating recognition of the terrorist organization.
The envoy said the basic reasons for the absence of a link between the U.S. and the PLO is that Israel is opposed to it. “I don’t necessarily quarrel with that, because I think that Israel is going to have to make the decisions about how it’s going to relate to the Palestinian people,” he said Despite Israel’s opposition, Young added, the U.S. “should have some way of relating to the Palestinian people.” He noted that Washington is “working” on this, but hasn’t “reached a conclusion.”
TERMS PLO REPRESENTATIVES MODERATES
Young characterized the PLO’s UN representative as “very skilled politicians and very intelligent, decent human being.” He said they have acted as a “moderating influence” in the UN and that the would favor doing business with the PLO at the world body because it would batter those {SPAN}###ements in the PLO who favor a “political process to liberation” rather than terrorism and the destruction of Israel.{/SPAN}The basic reason for what Young termed the lustration of Camp David accords is that the Palestinians do not feel that the accords assure them the self-determination they want. A link between the U.S. and the PLO would solve that, Young noted, adding, “that’s what we are working on.”
Hodding Carter was asked if Young’s statements mean that the U.S. is undertaking “a serious review of policies” toward the PLO. He replied “no,” and added, “We have not changed our policy regarding the PLO. Our only contacts with the PLO in New York City and nowhere else–are incidental and related to our responsibilities as host country to the UN.” Carter said, “We have sought to engage Palestinians in the process described in the Camp David agreements. Those agreements envisage the Palestinians in the process.
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