wpu.nu

Sida:Pol-1986-03-28 cia-CIA-Memorandum-Soviet-Disinformation.pdf/34

Från wpu.nu

Den här sidan har inte korrekturlästs


Secret

Lebanon-France: Hostage Negotiations Appear Stalemated

(b)(3),

One of the first challenges facing the new

Alternatively, it is possible that the deal soured conservative government in Paris will be the problem because elements of the Iranian Government imposed of the French hostages in Lebanon. Earlier this year, last-minute demands that France was not willing to a deal fell through, and the stakes were raised when meet. (b)(3) the kidnapers distributed photos of one French hostage they allegedly killed and four more

Although pressure to reach an agreement eased after Frenchmen were seized in Beirut. The new

the Socialist defeat in the 16 March parliamentary government may support most of the concessions election, we believe the new government is likely to made by President Mitterrand in January, but the accept most of the concessions agreed to by President sticking point is likely to be the reluctance of the Mitterrand in January. New Prime Minister Jacques Lebanese Shia kidnapers throne to a deal negotiated Chirac, a conservative, strongly supports Iraq, through Iran and Syria. (b)(3)

however, and his government probably will be

reluctant to halt arms sales to Baghdad, even for a In early January, Socialist Party officials in Paris short time. _(b)(3) hoped to bolster their party's chances to retain power in the March National Assembly elections by

Mitterrand may now decide to direct the negotiations negotiating for the release of the French hostages in personally. Outgoing Defense Minister Quiles Lebanon. The shape of the deal Paris reportedly complained recently that he, outgoing Foreign agreed to earlier this year remains murky, but

Minister Dumas, and former Prime Minister Fatin

"(b)(1) President Mitterrand apparently accepted Iran's were being kept in the dark by Mitterrand, principal demands. These were the release of five

(b)(3) Iranian-backed terrorists imprisoned in France for the

Dr. Razah attempted assassination of a former Iranian Prime Ra'd, a Lebanese-born French heart specialist, has Minister in May 1980,' the repayment to Tehran of occasionally acted "unofficial” emissary to Beirut $1 billion deposited in France by the Shah, and a and Damascus, and, soon after the elections, a Syrian clar(b)(1)2 on Iranian dissident activity in France. businessman named Omran Adham told the press (b)(3)

that he was Mitterrand's si pl envoy to Syrian

(b)(3) President Assad.

There is no evidence that the American hostages have We suspect that the agreement fell through because been part of any negotiations to date. Should Paris the Hizballah element actually holding the hostages successfully negotiate the release of its hostages in the was not directly involved in the negotiations and was near future, the deal will not include the release of the not willing to accept the terms agreed to by France, American hostages. Although the same Hizballah Iran, and Syria. The kidnapers' demands have not element holds both sets of hostages, the demands for changed since early this year, and we do not believe each are different. Hizballah has consistently said they will issue new conditions in the near future.? that it will set the American captives free only if the

United States forces Kuwait to release the 17 Dawa French officials told US diplomats that Paris would release one

prisoners arrested for the bombings of the US prisoner for "medical" reasons and would guarantee the release of the other four by the end of Milterrand's term in 1988. | Embassy and other targets in Kuwait in December 'In an interview with a French newspaper in mid-February, Syrian 1983. The terrorists have showed no willingness to President Assad acknowledged that a deal had been worked out 10

agree to a compromise for anything less. release the French bUL the persons covering the hostages" backed

(b)(3) oUL al the last minute. Assad denounced the captors for reneging and said that Syria's relations with the groun could not improve until it released its foreign hostages (b)(3)

3)

25

Secret DI TR 86-005 April 1986

Approved for Release: 2017/09/13 C05632837