Egypt has accused Syria of worsening the military situation in Lebanon by sending in troops and armour and has called for an urgent meeting of Arab foreign ministers to discuss the crisis.

The criticism of Egypt's principal ally in the struggle with israel came in a formal note to the Arab League from Egyptian Foreign Minister Ismail Fahmi on Thursday (3 June)
During the day Egypt's President Anwar Sadat was still meeting Saudi Arabia's Prince Saud Al Faisal and Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed of Kuwait at his summer residence in Alexandria. The Saudi and Kuwaiti foreign ministers are hoping to end the acrimonious nine month disputed between Egypt and Syria.

As they met Cairo newspapers reported that the left-wing Lebanese Nationalist Movement had appealed to President Sadat for an Arab move to counter Syrian military involvement in Lebanon.

Mr. Fahmi's note to the Arab League accused Syria of pushing forces and armour into Lebanon at a scale exceeding all estimation and justifications, and increasing the possibility of fighting with Palestinian revolution forces. The note added that an urgent collective Arab move was necessary -- echoing a proposal made by the Palestine Liberation Organisation.

After the disengagement agreement between Egypt and Israel in September, the Palestinians and Syria were unanimous in their condemnation of the agreement which, they said, betrayed the Palestinian and Arab cause.

Reuters reported on Thursday that an Egyptian political analyst had explained his country's political silence during the first two days of Syria's military intervention. The analyst said it was a matter of teaching the Palestinians a lesson they had so far failed to learn -- "if they all themselves with any Arab government they are bound to lose out."
SYNOPSIS: The Maamoura rest house in Alexandria, where Egyptian President Anwar Sadat discussed the critical position in the Lebanon on Wednesday. Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal and Kuwait's Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed were hoping to end the nine months Egypt-Syria dispute, but the Lebanon was the main topic.

The day after the start of these talks Egypt accused Syria of worsening the situation in Lebanon by sending in troops and armour. The criticism was contained in a formal note to the Arab League from Egyptian Foreign Minister Ismail Fahmi. The note said Syria had intervened in a scale exceeding all justification and had increased the possibility of fighting with Palestinian revolution forces. As the Saudi and Kuwaiti foreign minister met President Sadat, Cairo newspapers reported the left-wing Lebanese Nationalist Movement had appealed to President Sadat for an Arab move to counter Syrian military involvement in the Lebanon.