Iraq joins Arab nations offering refuge for PLO

Iraq said Thursday it was ready to take in Palestinian fighters due to be evacuated from west Beirut, Iraq's official news agency reported.

This was the first official indication Iraq was prepared to join the six other Arab countries that made the offer: Syria, Jordan, the two Yemens, Sudan, and Tunisia.

Also Thursday, Palestine Liberation Organization leader Yasser Arafat sent a note of appreciation to Syria for its offer to accept PLO guerrillas. He said Arab leaders must spare no effort in unifying the Arab nation in the face of ''the danger encircling it from all sides,'' the official Syrian news agency, SANA, reported.