26 March
Arrival in Beirut

"It's that atmosphere of anxiety and alarm that pervades all the ritual welcomes and triple kisses...that are taking place over the city"
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27 March
Summit Mired in Drama

"Whither the Saudi peace plan? It was meant to be the means for a pan-Arab promise to Israel - withdrawal from the occupied territories and the acceptance of a Palestinian state in return for normal relations with all Arab states - and it was also an act of optimism. It now seems a feeble hope."
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28 March
Clouds of War

"The Saudi peace plan would be adopted; there would be the traditional words of solidarity with the Palestinians; and the difficulties between Iraq and Kuwait might be mitigated. But just as the outline of a happy ending was being sketched in, there came the news of the Passover bomb in Israel. From everyone came the familiar regret coupled with an appeal, to remember violence committed by the other side - but the air had sharpened."