Israel urged to give deadline

Press, 2 July 1983, Page 10

Israel urged to give deadline

NZPA-Reuter New York The United States has asked Israel to provide a detailed timetable for removing its forces from Lebanon in hopes of obtaining a similar agreement from Syria, the “New York Times”” reports. The newspaper, quoting Reagan Administration officials, said that the proposal was prompted by two factors: Syria’s refusal to talk with Lebanon about an accord to match the IsraeliLebanese agreement, and Israel’s intention to withdraw some troops from

Lebanon and redeploy its remaining forces into a more secure zone in southern Lebanon. Administration officials said that Israel would not be expected to withdraw all of its' 15,000 soldiers from Lebanon unless Syria withdrew its 50,000, and the Palestine Liberation Organisation withdrew its 8000 men, the “Times” reported yesterday. The redeployment of Israeli forces could be included as a first stage in the withdrawal, officials were quoted as saying, and serve

as a possible incentive to Syria to follow suit. Three American envoys were sent to the Middle East last week-end with instructions to raise this new approach with the Israelis and Lebanese, officials told the newspaper. The three diplomats — Morris Draper, Philip Habib and Richard Fairbanks — went to Israel, Lebanon and returned to Israel. Officials in Washington would not disclose the outcome of talks, except to say that there were no plans yet for any of the diplomats to

go to Damascus. The “Times” said that if there was a prospect of talks in Syria, the American Secretary of State, Mr George Shultz, would stop off there on his way back from Pakistan, where he is scheduled to go from India this week-end. The new approach was meant to underline the United States desire to make every effort to remove foreign forces from Lebanon. But they added privately that they would be surprised if it was accepted by either Israel or Syria.