News In Brief

Soviet Union issues proposal for Middle East settlement

The Soviet Union has called for an international conference aimed at ending the Arab-Israeli conflict, according to a statement carried by the official news agency Tass Sunday. It said participants should work toward drafting a treaty calling for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from all Arab territories, creation of an independent Palestinian state, and guarantees of peace and security of all nations in the region. It also said Jewish settlements in the occupied Arab territories should be dismantled.

Participants in the conference would include the Soviet Union, the United States, Israel, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, and the Palestine Liberation Organization.

The immediate reaction from the US and Israel was negative.