Softening by Iraq on Kuwait Seen in Reaction to Arafat

Yasser Arafat, leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization, has won the backing of six Arab countries for a peace initiative that might open the door to an Iraqi withdrawal from Kuwait, according to a PLO official.

Arafat discussed the plan with Iraqi Foreign Minister Tarik Aziz on Saturday. A senior Palestinian official said afterward there are grounds for optimism that a political solution can be found for the gulf crisis.

Diplomats said the idea implies a softening of the Iraqi position and could indicate that Baghdad is willing to shift from its refusal to withdraw from Kuwait.

Arafat, one of only three Arab leaders who have openly sided with Iraq, has been shuttling around Arab capitals trying to win support for a negotiated solution.

Arafat’s political adviser, Bassam abu Sharif, told reporters Saturday that the new plan provides for a step-by-step approach, with the gulf crisis to be tackled first and the rest of the Middle East problem later.

The procedure would hinge on a commitment by the United States and the four other permanent members of the U.N. Security Council to implement U.N. resolutions on Israel.

“This is a linkage in principle. . . . We can start with the hottest problem in the Middle East, the gulf, but then have to be sure the next step will be dealing with Palestine,” Abu Sharif said.

According to Abu Sharif, Arafat has won backing in principle from Libya, Algeria and Yemen, as well as Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia.