1.
GV Arab league headquarters
0.05

2.
SV delegates arriving (3 shots)
0.21

3.
GV delegates seated at table
0.29

4.
GV delegates at table headed by Arafat and Riad
0.35

5.
GV meeting in progress (3 shots)
0.48

6.
SV Arafat leaving meeting
0.56

7.
SV Ismail Fahmy (Egypt) leaves meeting
1.01


The original fighting began in Lebanon in April, 1975, between two armed groups, the Palestinian guerrilla commandos who have bases in Lebanon and the right-wing Lebanese Falagists who object to the Palestinian presence. The Palestinians were supported by the Lebanese Moslem left in their struggle with the Falangists who are predominantly Christian. In the 14 months of the war 20,000 people have been killed.




Initials RH/RP/AH/2200



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: In Cairo, capital of Egypt, Arab League Foreign ministers decided on Thursday (10 June) to send an Arab peace-keeping force to stop the fighting in Lebanon.

SYNOPSIS: League members met until early in the morning formulating the plan. The meeting was brought forward because of what a spokesman termed the continued deterioration of the situation and the intensive fighting in Lebanon. Arab League Secretary General Mohmoud Riad said the aim o the meeting was to reach a unified Arab opinion on the Lebanon situation.

The meeting was attended by Palestinian Liberation Organisation leader Yasser Arafat. According to Reuters, the force would include units from Syria, Saudi Arabia, Algoria, Libya, Sudan and the PLO. The seven-point peacekeeping plan, decided at the meeting, called for an immediate ceasefire. Reuters added that several delegates had already expressed doubts about the ability of an Arab peace-keeping force in Lebanon. Over the past 14 months the warring left and right wing factions have made and broken at least 30 truces.