By Bob Van Leer

  (ANKARA, TURKEY, June 11, 1987) - Today was a series of meetings with the standouts being a meeting with Abu Firas, PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization) ambassador to Turkey.

  Security was very tight getting in to see Firas. We had to be checked into the grounds, bags searched, and then inside his building had to produce identification. Firas has good reason for this. He said there have been six attempts on his life. 

  The PLO is an organization of organizations. Firas said that in 1969 there were 63 groups and PLO Chief Yasir Arafat united them into eight. The PLO was formed, after the creation of the state of Israel, out of Palestinians who left, or were driven out of Israel.   The Organization has had a stormy history, having been expelled from Jordan and driven out of Lebanon by the Israelis and also evicted from Syria. 

  Firas said that Arafat currently is headquartered in Tunisia and Iraq. Firas stated that the only thing acceptable to the Palestinians was to be back in Palestine, their home. He said the PLO calls for a secular state, including Jews, Christians and Muslims. He said it is the Holy Land of the three religions.

  On the one hand, he said the PLO deeply respects the American people, but on the other hand said the occupation of Palestine took place with American guns and bombs.

  Firas said, "We are strictly and totally against all kinds of terrorism anywhere in the world". But he did acknowledge that some members may have been uncontrollable in the past. The most significant qualification is that activities inside Palestine are considered resisting occupation and he said that U.N. resolutions permit this.

  A sidelight was that Firas said he had been successful in negotiating for the release of Egyptian hostages at one time and he was approached during the time the American hostages were being held in Iran by Ramsey Clark, former U.S. attorney general, saying he was an envoy of Pres. Jimmy Carter and was asked to assist Clark in negotiating for the hostage release. Clark, however, would not admit publicly that he asked for PLO support, so Firas didn't assist.

  As to rumors of a PLO split, Firas said these stories were engineered by Syria. "Syria wants to use the PLO like cards in their pocket." He said there are 6 million Palestinians scattered in the occupied territories, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq and other countries.

  Firas said that the PLO is self sufficient in funds. Early on, the PLO decided it did not want to be under pressure from donors and so invested money received, instead of spending it and now is self-supporting. He said the PLO now has 83 representatives to other countries, 83 with full ambassadorial status.

  On the Iran-Iraq war, he said the PLO is one of the biggest victims of the war. Israel would not have been able to invade Lebanon and drive the PLO out except for the war. The instability of the Palestinian situation was demonstrated by Firas when he said, at the conclusion of our meeting, that "My meeting with you might cost me a lot ".

 Some of the extremist groups might consider him as cooperating with the U.S. He said he was once the target himself of Abu Nidal, an extremist organization.

  In the morning we had meetings at the Turkish Foreign office. We met in a large conference room and around the room were pictures of foreign service offices and family members killed by Armenian extremists. Two were young children. They said the total was 41 killed.

  Turkey's aspirations are toward the west, especially since the days of President Kemal Ataturk. However, at the Cyprus invasion in 1974, Turkey found itself isolated from the Third World and has since repaired its bridges. It has diversified its policy and joined the Islamic Organization.

  But Turkey still looks to the west, and has applied for full membership in the European Economic Community. There are also 30 bases in Turkey used for U.S. purposes and we were told, "The American presence makes Turkey a big target".

  Turkey is ready to negotiate on a solution to Cyprus and has three conditions: political equality for Turkish residents of Cyprus along with Greek Cypriots, bizonality (two zones on the island, one for each nationality) and security of Turkish Cypriots. They said they had 13 years of third class citizenship.

  As to Greek fears, we were told that a Turkish threat is a myth. Our position is completely defensive, they said. There is no Turkish threat over the sovereignty of any Greek island.

  Turkey has a border with Russia, but it is closed. Only freight trains can go through. The Russians have a highway to the border, but the Turks said they are "dragging our feet".

  At 1 p.m. we were treated to a lunch at the Ankara Palas, the state guest house. It was an impressive affa ir, a sit-down dinner for about 50 guests. Our party of 16 was greatly outnumbered by Turkish officials, American Embassy officials, invited journalists from Istanbul as well as Ankara, and others we didn't know. The meal was course after course and the waist lines are expanding on this trip.

  Tonight at our hotel we had a last dinner of the full 16. Betty and I and four others are returning home in the morning and the other 10 are continuing east to see more ruins.

  Our bags are to be in the hall at 5:15 a.m. and we leave at 5:30 to catch our flight back to Istanbul. Such is the time difference that 5 a.m. Friday here is 7 p.m. Thursday still in Gold Beach. At Istanbul we board a KLM flight to Amsterdam and then another KLM flight to New York. There we rest up for a day.

  This has been an intensely interesting and busy trip and it will take some time to sort it all out.