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SV INTERIOR Khaled al-Fahoum speaking to newsmen (Arabic speech)
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SV EXT Arafat arriving at meeting (2 shots)
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SV INT Arafat and Khaled al-Fahoum seated at head of table with Council members (4 shots)
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Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Palestinian leaders held an extraordinary meeting of the Palestinian Central Council -- the PCC -- in Syria on Tuesday (22 August). The leaders, who included the Palestine Liberation Organisation's Yasser Arafat, condemned next month's summit meeting at Camp David. The PCC said the summit was another step by which Egyptian President Anwar Sadat could make concessions to the Israelis.

SYNOPSIS: Before the meeting the President of the Palestine National Council, Khaled al-Fahoum, explained to newsmen that the meeting had a two-fold purpose. The first was to discuss relations between member groups within the PNC which serves as a parliament in exile for the Palestinians. Most of the suggestions had been submitted by Fatah, the largest commando organisation within the PLO. The discussions were aimed at strengthening ties with all the groups including the so-called Rejection Front which boycotted the Central Council meeting.

PLO chief Yasser Arafat attended the meeting and it was during the discussions that criticism of the Camp David summit the President Sadat's role was voiced. The PCC said that neither Mr. Sadat nor any other Arab leader was entitled to speak on behalf of the Palestinian people. The committee also attacked Iraq's leaders. They accused Iraq of waging a campaign of intrigue and armed terror against Palestinian commandoes. The meeting also decided to form a top-level committee to pursue the question f Palestinian national unity. The full Council will reconvene late next month to ratify the committee's recommendations.