Basic HTML Version
PASTOR GENERAL'S PBPORT, March 13, 1980
Page 11
ON THE WORLD SCENE
EUROPE'S BOLD MIDEAST INITIATIVE: In a news conference yesterday (March
11) President Carter smiled away his administration's diplomatic blunder
at the United Nations (over the anti-Israel resolution) as being only an
honest mistake. But others don't take the vote--repudiated almost 72
hours later--so lightly. Columnist George F. Will, for example, says:
"By its suspiciously tardy, sinisterly partial and obviously panicky re
treat from its U.N. vote, the administration has earned the distrust of
Israel, the contempt of the Arab nations and the ridicule of a watching
world."
The United States, by its U.N. bungling, has severely damaged its entire
Middle East policy. In the wake of Russia's invasion of Afghanistan, Mr.
Carter had declared the Persian Gulf to be of vital interest to the U.S.,
and "off limits" to Moscow. Since then, U.S. diplomats have scurried
about, seeking friends in the Gulf and elsewhere in the region. Little
has been accomplished. Who can trust Washington now?--especially after
March 3 (the day of Mr. Carter's disavowal.) Only tiny Oman, the Gulf
state most directly threatened by Soviet aggression, has offered partial
use of its facilities to the Pentagon. Elsewhere there are few takers.
Even Pakistan, the day following the ignominious switch-aroo, rejected
America's $400 million aid package. Washington's jilted lovers are
upset! !
France and the EEC Move In
The oil rich Arab Gulf states want to be as free of the dominance of both
Moscow and Washington as they can. Yet, they are weak and vulnerable.
They need support from somewhere. And it's coming from Western Europe,
with France taking the lead.
On March 1, French President Giscard d'Estaing set out on a whirlwind
tour of five Gulf states (Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Abu Dhabi, Saudi
Arabia) plus Jordan. Though it had been planned beforehand, Giscard's
trip could not have been better timed to take advantage of Mr. Carter's
diplomatic pratfall. Reports the Daily Telegraph of London:
"Giscard believes the time is ripe for a strong French push, to catch on
the rebound sheiks and emirs whose trust in Washington has been under
mined..• They [the Arab leaders] have watched approvingly as France does
right by its own, and sometimes other people's allies in Africa and else
where." (It was generally overlooked in the press that King Khaled of
Saudi Arabia appealed to France, not America, to mastermind the Mecca
mosque mop-up operation.)
President Giscard, in his very first stop in Kuwait, signed a joint
communique with the Kuwaiti emir, calling for Palestinians' right of self
determination--in effect, backing a P.L.O. state. It was the first time
a pledge of support for Palestinian self-determination had been given
by one of the Common Market countries. Dan Cook, L.A. Times Paris
correspondent (and one of the very best in the business), assessed the
aggressive French policy this way: