Khaddam Ends Moscow Talks Held ‘to Counter’ Golan Move

publisher: The Washington post

AUTHOR: Dusko Doder

Publishing date: 1982-01-16

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Syrian Foreign Minister Abdul Halim Khaddam wound up his one-day visit here tonight by asserting that he and his Soviet hosts discussed “measures to counter” the recent Israeli annexation of the Golan Heights.

In an interview with Soviet television, Khaddam said he was profoundly satisfied with talks he had with Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko, Marshal Nikolai Ogarkov, who is armed forces chief of staff, and other officials.

A brief communique gave no indication as to the substance of the talks beyond stating that they focused on the Middle East and some other international problems as well as bilateral relations.

Diplomatic sources here say Khaddam probably discussed possibilities for closer military cooperation with the Soviet Union and additional Soviet military equipment for the Syrian Army.

Some diplomatic observers speculated that the visit, which was initiated by the Soviets, may be a part of Moscow’s efforts to shift international concerns from the crisis in Poland to the Middle East. Gromyko singled out the region when he talked about the need to “dispel the clouds of the threat of war no matter where they are gathering.”

Syria has been a pivotal Soviet ally in the Arab world, and the two countries have concluded a 20-year treaty of friendship and cooperation. The pact includes provisions for strengthening military ties and for prompt consultations in case the security of one of the parties is threatened. It does not, however, commit Moscow to take concrete action on behalf of Syria.

The presence at the talks of Ogarkov, the first deputy defense minister and the senior military officer in the country, suggested that discussions involved Syrian interest in a closer military cooperation than provided by the treaty.

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