Democratic Palestine : 29 (ص 29)

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Democratic Palestine : 29 (ص 29)

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PLO Delegation to Moscow
On the invitation of the Soviet leadership, a PLO delegation arrived in Moscow on April 7th. The delega-
tion was headed by Yasir Arafat, Chairman of the PLO Executive Committee. It included PLO Executive
Committee members Abu Ali Mustafa, Farouk Qaddoumi, Yasir Abed Rabbouh, Suleiman Najjab,
Mahmoud Darwish, Jamal Sourani and Abdullah Hourani. There were several discussion sessions with
Comrade Mikhail Gorbachev, General Secretary of the CPSU, and Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard
Shevardnadze, as well as with the secretary of the CPSU Central Committee, the head of the Afro-Asian
Solidarity Committee, the head of the Oriental Studies Institute and the dean of the Soviet Diplomatic
Academy. The talks focused on the developments in the occupied territories and the means to support the
current Palestinian uprising, developments in the Middle East and the issue of the international con-
ference, the US maneuvers in the area and the aims of Schultz’s most recent trip, the efforts to reconcile
Syria and the PLO, and improving Palestinian —Soviet relations. (Editor’s Note: The PLO visited
Moscow before the PLO—Syrian reconciliation began later in April.)
Se ee ea as
Interview with Comrade Abu Ali Mustafa
After the talks with the Soviet
leadership were concluded, Al Hadaf
magazine interviewed Comrade Abu
Ali Mustafa, Deputy General Secretary
of the PFLP, regarding the delegation’s
visit. The following is a summary of the
interview:
THE UPRISING
The Soviet leadership expressed full
support to the Palestinian uprising and
reaffirmed the significance of its con-
tinuing. They condemned the fascist
Israeli crimes against the Palestinian
people. The Soviet comrades confirmed
that it was high among their priorities
to raise the issue of political support to
the uprising and to the legitimate rights
of the Palestinian people at interna-
tional forums. The Soviet Solidarity
Committee informed the Palestinian
delegation of the material support that
Soviet social institutions have decided
to donate to the uprising.
INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE
The Soviet leadership reiterated its
position that an international con-
ference on the Middle East should be
fully empowered and include all con-
cerned parties, including the PLO on an
equal footing. What is new regarding
the Soviet position is presenting UN
Security Council resolution 242 as a
legal basis for convening the con-
ference. The Soviet leadership however,
emphasized the necessity of linking this
with the Palestinian people’s right to
self-determination. During the talks,
ras 2
both sides confirmed their adherence to
all UN resolutions concerning the
Palestinian and Middle East question.
It was clear from the contents of the
discussion that the Soviet leadership
makes a distinction between merely
calling for an international conference
on the one hand, and the substance of
the issues to be discussed on the other.
The Soviet comrades pointed out how
the US administration is avoiding giv-
ing a clear answer concerning the in-
ternational conference, and that the
Schultz plan is only an attempt to abort
the Palestinian uprising and save the
Zionist state from its crisis.
Comrade Abu Ali said that he
believed that it is an illusion to depend
on resolution 242 as a basis for entering
an international conference. He ques-
tioned why the world ignores UN
resolution 181 (the 1947 Partition
Plan), regarding the Palestinian ques-
tion. He also said that one should not
fall into the trap of considering the in-
ternational conference as an end in
itself rather than a means towards a
solution. Abu Ali expressed his convic-
tion that the Soviet leadership is well
aware of this distinction, based on their
principled support to the Palestinian
national rights of return and a Palesti-
nian independent state, led by the PLO,
the sole, legitimate representative of
our people.
DID GORBACHEV ASK
THE PLO TO RECOGNIZE
ISRAEL?
Comrade Abu Ali confirmed that
neither Gorbachev nor any other Soviet
leader who met with the delegation
presented the issue of the PLO
recognizing the Zionist state. The
Soviet comrades confirmed their
adherence to the Palestinians’ national
rights, based on their conviction in the
justice and legitimacy of these rights.
This is a constant and principled Soviet
position.
THE US PLAN
Comrades Gorbachev and Shevard-
nadze have rejected Schultz’s proposals
because they offer no solution to the
Middle East conflict; the US ad-
ministration through its various
maneuvers in the area is only seeking to
protect its own interests and those of
‘Israel’. The Soviet leadership thinks
that the US proposals are heading
towards a deadend. The Palestinians
and the Soviet comrades agree on re-
jecting the Schultz plan. In the Soviet
view, the US moves and acknowledge-
ment of the importance of convening
an international conference, even while
seeking to devoid it of real substance,
have come about due to the impact of
29

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