
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, May 31, 1990                   TAG: 9005310034
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-10   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: BAGHDAD, IRAQ                                LENGTH: Medium

ARAB HARD-LINERS RULE SUMMIT, END WITH HARSH WORDS FOR U.S.

Arab leaders ended their summit Wednesday with harsh criticism of the United States, saying its support of Israel encourages the Jewish state to stonewall peace moves and settle Jews on occupied land.

Their statement was seen as a major defeat for pro-American moderates led by Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

The 20-page final communique urged a halt to the influx of Jews into Israel and pledged financial and political support for the Palestinian uprising against Israeli rule of the occupied territories.

The communique was released after a three-day summit marked by disagreement between hard-liners and moderates. PLO chief Yasser Arafat called the summit to discuss Arab concerns over the immigration of Soviet Jews to Israel.

Some last-minute changes were made on the draft text, tempering an outright threat of economic sanctions, and possibly an oil embargo, on states that encourage Jewish immigration to Israel.

Instead, the leaders instructed economic, financial and foreign ministers of the 21-member Arab League to meet within two months to re-evaluate relations and recommend to the next summit possible sanctions against states that facilitate immigration to Israel.

That appeared to be the only concession the hard-liners - led by Iraq and the PLO - made to the moderates.

Israeli officials have said hundreds of thousands of Jews could go to Israel in the next few years because of relaxed travel restrictions in the Soviet Union and tighter entry quotas in the United States.

Arabs fear the emigrants will be settled in occupied territories and drive out the Palestinians.

The Israeli government denies it has a policy of settling Jewish emigrants in the occupied territories.

Libyan leader Col. Moammar Gadhafi, wearing a silver and white African robe, spoke to the conference Wednesday and said, "Palestine will be the graveyard of the Jews."

He said Arabs must increase their population from 100 million to 1 billion to confront Israel with a "population explosion." A recording of his address was broadcast by Baghdad television.

by CNB