1.
GV Lebanese Prime Minister greets Soviet Ambassador and takes seat
0.22

2.
CU Lebanese Premier
0.24

3.
SV and GV Soviet Ambassador speaks to Lebanese Premier (3 shots)
0.38

4.
CU Lebanese Premier speaks in Arabic
2.19



Initials OS/1826



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Lebanese Premier Rashid Al-Solh met the Soviet Ambassador Mr. Alexander Soldatov in Beirut on Thursday (14 November) following extensive Israeli raids into southern Lebanon.

Mr. Soldatov -- who was appointed Ambassador to Lebanon in October and took up the post earlier this month -- is the most senior Soviet Ambassador in the Middle East.

Mr. Rashid Solh expressed Lebanon's consternation at the Israeli raids, in which at least a dozen people have been killed so far this month.

Mr. Rashid Solh charged that Israel always wanted to seize a part of southern Lebanon, but was not able to do so because Egypt and Syria had warned against it, and the Arab armies had grown more powerful.

Mr. Soldatov expressed Soviet regret at the deaths caused by the Israeli raids. The Soviet Ambassador has wide diplomatic experience, having held the post in Britain and Cuba. During the 1950's he headed the American Affairs division of the Soviet Foreign Ministry.