TRIPOLI, LIBYAN JAMAHIRIYAH (VISNEWS - SOUHEIL RACHED)

SV Abu Seta talking to his translators
SV Abu Seta speaking in Arabic
SV French translator speaking in French
SCU Abu Seta speaking in Arabic

Background: INTRODUCTION: The Libyan Jamahiriyah has called for Islamic nations to stand against what has been called a terror campaign against her by the United States.The country's undersecretary for Foreign Affairs, Hamid Abu Seta, expounded this theme on Tuesday (20 October), when he was receiving Islamic ambassadors in Tripoli.

SYNOPSIS: Mr.Abu Seta claimed that Washington had tried, following the assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, to terrorise Arab nations, with the greatest emphasis directed against the Libyan government.

The undersecretary predicted that any Arab leaders who tried to follow in the footsteps of the late Mr.Sadat, by such things as overtures towards Israel, would suffer the same fate as the slain Egyptian leader.He accused the Reagan administration of acting hastily in sending AWACS aircraft to Egypt after President Sadat's death.The administration, he said, had not received the approval of Congress before making this move.As soon as they were delivered to Egypt, the AWACS were sent on patrol duty along Egypt's border with Libya.It has been reported that one of their roles would be to watch for possible Libyan attacks on Sudan.

Mr.Abu Seta said the delivery of the aircraft amounted to direct United States intervention in the Middle East.Libya had to consider what its response should be to what Mr.Abu Seta called an act of such blatant provocation.As well as supplying the AWACS aircraft, Washington has announced plans to speed up arms aid to both Egypt and Sudan, both of whom have voiced fears of a Libyan invasion of Sudan from Chad.Cairo and Khartoum have a mutual defence pact, which gives their armed forces numerical, if not-clear-cut military superiority over the Libyan Jamahiriyah.Mr.Abu Seta spoke of his country's increased tension with Sudan.He accused the Sudanese leader, J'aafar Nimeiri of organising rebels in a bid to topple the governments of Libya and Chad.Mr.Abu Seta contended what Mr.Nimeiri wanted to take over the late Anwar Sadat's role in the Middle East.Reuters news agency, four days before Mr.Abu Seta's speech, quoted a senior Pentagon official as saying the Sudanese were confident of repelling any ground attack by Libya.The same official said Libyan aircraft were making daily raids on the Sudanese, who felt helpless against air attack.Mr.Abu Seta said Libya had not penetrated into Sudanese territory, but Tripoli felt it was under extreme provocation.
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