In its January 6, 1974 issue, Al-Qabas published an important political news article on its front page, sourced from the Lebanese newspaper “Al-Nahar.” The article revealed that Egyptian President Mohamed Anwar Sadat would be visiting Syria, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia in the upcoming days. Additionally, diplomatic sources reported that the Kuwaiti authorities had obtained documents proving the existence of a conspiracy aimed at separating Egypt from Syria and isolating the former, with Israel implementing a plan to isolate Arab countries from one another.
The text of the news is as follows:
The Lebanese newspaper “Al-Nahar” reported yesterday that President Anwar Sadat is scheduled to visit Syria, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia in the coming days.
Quoting well-informed diplomatic sources in Kuwait, the newspaper stated that Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Syrian President Hafez Al-Assad will meet in Damascus next week.
According to diplomatic sources cited by the newspaper, Kuwaiti authorities have seized documents that “prove the existence of a conspiracy to separate Egypt from Syria and isolate Egypt with the assistance of Israel, as part of a plan to isolate Arab countries from one another.”
The newspaper mentioned that Minister of State Abdulaziz Hussein met with President Sadat in Cairo and briefed him on these documents. It also noted that Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah, Minister of Defense and Interior, who visited Damascus, briefed President Assad on the same documents.
Diplomatic sources revealed that President Sadat made it clear to Mr. Hussein that he does not hold any unique position but rather implements the decisions of the recent Arab Summit Conference.
The sources also reported that President Assad informed Sheikh Saad that Syria “cannot engage in negotiations with the Israelis without a genuine guarantee that they will accept withdrawal from the occupied Arab territories and ensure the rights of the Palestinian people.”
According to diplomatic sources in Kuwait, Mr. Abdel Halim Khaddam, the Syrian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, has offered his resignation to the leadership of the ruling Arab Baath Socialist Party in Syria, should he be asked to go to Geneva.
