Lebanon’s Moslem leaders arranged a conference under Syrian auspices aimed at breathing life back into the paralyzed Beirut government and healing wounds within their community.
The meeting in the Syrian capital today follows weekend talks in Damascus between Syrian President Hafez Assad and Lebanese Prime Minister Rashid Karami about improving security in mostly Moslem west Beirut.
The two leaders Sunday also discussed plans for ‘national reconciliation’ — an apparent reference to giving the Moslem majority more power in the Lebanese government.
State-run Beirut radio said the all-day session will attempt to ‘achieve order and stability in west Beirut and agree on a national view on a comprehensive security and political formula’ for Lebanon.
Beirut newspapers quoted Syrian Vice President Abdel Halim Khaddam as saying Syria is pushing for a settlement again because ‘Syria will exert all possible efforts to close the Lebanese crisis file.’
In addition to Karami, a Sunni Moslem appointed premier with Syrian blessing, Shiite leader Nabih Berri, Druze chief Walid Jumblatt and Lebanese parliamentary speaker Hussein Husseini, aShiite, will attend the meeting.
Lebanon’s Moslem spiritual leader, Mufti Hassen Khaled, was also scheduled to attend the talks.
Official sources said Syria wants to forge a new pact between the Moslem leaders, clearing the way for a broader political settlement between Christians and Moslems and an end to 10 years of fighting in Lebanon.
The Moslem community has been deeply divided since Berri’s Amal militia and Jumblatt’s Progressive Socialist Party crushed the Sunni Mourabitoun movement in street fighting in April and seized control of west Beirut.
Syria, the main power broker in Lebanon, backed the national unity government from its formation in April last year. But internal differences have split the government and the Cabinet has not been able to meet in full since November.
On the eve of the meeting, Karami said President Reagan’s efforts to close Beirut airport after the hijacking of TWA Flight 847 were designed to ‘take revenge’ on Lebanon for opposing U.S. plans in the Middle East.
Karami also attacked ‘Israeli interests that want to occupy Lebanon’ and ‘a conspiracy aimed at the whole region.’
‘All these things are pushing us towards Damascus,’ he told reporters. ‘We believe it is not only Lebanon which is a target, but the aim is to prevent Syria from carrying out its effective role to help Lebanon to re e-4store its normal life and carry out its national duty.’
