The State Department said today that President Ford’s instructions to special Ambassador G. Dean Brown on his current mission to Lebanon “do not include authorization to have contact with the PLO.” But the Department would not rule out the possibility of such contacts.
Brown was sent to Lebanon Tuesday to examine the situation in that war-torn country. State Department spokesman Robert Funseth said that he had not yet made a report. Asked if Brown was specifically instructed to avoid the PLO, Funseth reiterated that contact with that group was not included in his instructions.
When a reporter raised the possibility of “indirect contacts” with the PLO, Funseth replied that the U.S. “never precluded ourselves from the benefit of PLO views.” Asked again if Brown’s instructions precluded contact with the PLO under any circumstances. Funseth said, “We must see what the circumstances are” and added “we do not rule it out.”
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
