Secretary of State George Shultz met Syrian officials Tuesday in a hectic one-day Middle East shuttle to three Arab states aimed at winning the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Lebanon.
Shultz was scheduled to hold a crucial meeting Wednesday with President Hafez Assad to discuss his demands for an unconditional Israeli pullout from Lebanon as a pre-condition for bringing Syrian troops back home.
‘We have much to talk about,’ Shultz said at Damascus airport where he was welcomed by Syrian Foreign Minister Abdul-Halim Khaddam after a short flight from the Lebanese capital of Beirut.
Shultz met King Fahd, of Saudi Arabia, in Jeddah early Tuesday before flying to Lebanon for a one-hour session with President Amin Gemayel at the presidential palace overlooking war-ravaged Beirut.
In Damascus, Khaddam gave a banquet for the secretary of state but formal talks between the two foreign ministers were set for Wednesday before Shultz’ session with Assad.
Last weekend, President Reagan sent Shultz on the unexpected Middle East tour at the end of an Asian trip. Syria’s agreement to meet Shultz was a minor breakthrough because the Damascus government had refused to meet with U.S. special envoy Philip Habib in his efforts to achieve a withdrawal of Syrian forces from Lebanon.
But before Shultz’ arrival, state-run Damascus radio stepped up its attack on the May 17 Israeli-Lebanese troop withdrawal accord, mediated by Shultz.
‘Syria fights the agreement of submission,’ it said. ‘Syria insists on the withdrawal of the Israeli forces from Lebanon without any hostile gains.’
