European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 31, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday october 31, 1991 the stars and stripes a Page 3raisa Gorbachev Back in spotlight after failed coup Toledo Spain apr making her first Public Outing since the failed soviet coup in August a smiling Raisa Gorbachev strolled in this City where muslims and jews peacefully coexisted in medieval times. Surrounded by Security officials and journalists tuesday the soviet first lady accompanied by Queen Sofia stopped at City Hall the Al Greco museum and shops Selling regional pottery and knives of Toledo steel. Residents lined the streets to cheer As the two women strolled by. Later mrs. Gorbachev and Queen Sofia dined in a Madrid restaurant on a Spanish delicacy a baby eels while their husbands joined president Bush and prime minister Felipe Gonzalez Marquez for dinner at the Palace. The visit to Toledo was mrs. Gorbachev a first Public Outing since the failed coup in which her family was detained for nearly three Days in their vacation Home. She did appear at a reception for italian officials in the soviet Union last month. Officials said after the failed coup that she had suffered nervous Shock. During her visit to Toledo she smiled and showed interest in the tour. The City was the site of a 13th-Century Academy of translators and linguists from the Muslim jewish and Christian cultures that flourished in medieval Spain. The jews were expelled by Royal edict in 1492 after Spain captured Granada the last Muslim stronghold in Spain. Muslims who refused to convert to christianity also were forced to leave Spain. New diplomatic patterns emerging in Madrid talks by Thomas l. Friedman the new York times Madrid Spain a it is too Early to say whether the Middle East peace conference in Madrid heralds a new relationship Between arabs and israelis. But it has already highlighted new relationships Between arabs and arabs Between Israel and the United states and most important Between the United states and the soviet Union. On the  front it would not be an overstatement to say that the soviets have literally made themselves an Arm of american Middle East diplomacy in recent months As they did everything possible to facilitate the peace conference Evwin american Goodwill which they Hope to Cash in later for american economic Aid. While the soviets Are technically co sponsors of the conference with Washington that is in name Only. A senior european Diplomat recalled tuesday that when he asked the soviet official supposedly working jointly with the americans on the conference a question about seating arrangements the soviet official just shrugged and said a you have to ask the americans. We done to know anything. The americans arc handling  indeed the new soviet american relationship in the Middle East was perfectly captured in Jerusalem 11 Days ago when Secretary of state James a. Baker Iii and soviet foreign minister Boris d. Pankin held a joint news conference at the King David hotel to announce that invitations to the conference were being sent. Baker had written an opening statement about How the United states saw this historic Opportunity and he Midi t i \ m Pilot 1tu.ks s Israel palestinians face off to level psychological Walls by Marcus Eliason the associated press Madrid Spain a israelis and palestinians in conflict for 43 years broke new ground wednesday facing each other for the first time As equals across a formal negotiating table. The attendance of Syria marked another first. Syrian and israeli negotiators have never met except to negotiate a military armistice in 1949. Although the israeli and palestinian speeches weren to scheduled until today their negotiators attracted the keenest attention As they took their seats among the other Arab delegations at a to shaped table in the Royal Palace. Faisal Husseini a key palestinian negotiator in the talks that led up to the conference gave each member of the joint palestinian Jordani an delegation a Bear hug and a kiss on each Cheek As they filed into a motorcade to drive to the Palace. A god be with you a Husseini told each one in arabic. Although attending As part of a jordanian delegation the palestinians have been granted equal speaking time Over israeli objections. Violence in the Middle East and disagreement Over the palestinians speaking time had threatened to sour the conference atmosphere. Nevertheless both sides voiced conciliation. A we have come to Madrid to open doors a said a statement issued by the palestinian delegation tuesday. The goal is a to break Down the psychological Walls a said Benjamin Netanyahu israelis Deputy foreign minister. Across the Mediterranean More unrest broke out wednesday in the israeli occupied territories. Palestinian militants opposed to the conference battled israeli troops and rival actions in the Gaza strip with at least seven arabs injured. In most of the occupied West Bank and Gaza strip the Muslim fundamentalist Hamas movement enforced a general strike despite often violent attempts by the Palestine liberation organization s mainstream Fatah faction to keep shops open and transportation running. Palestinians burned rubber tires and waved Black flags in refugee Camps throughout Lebanon on wednesday in protest of the talks. Israeli gunners shelled shiite Muslim towns in Southern Lebanon to avenge guerrilla attacks. Five israelis and three palestinians were killed in violence in the occupied West Bank and Southern Lebanon in the two Days before the talks. After a meeting Between Secretary of state James a. Baker Iii and israeli prime minister Yitzhak Shamir on tuesday israeli sources indicated that no Progress had been made in determining the location of bilateral Arab israeli talks envisioned As the conferences second stage. Those talks Are to begin sunday following the three Day opening round of speeches and rebuttals. Syria is insisting on an Active . Soviet role in the talks and wants them to remain in Madrid at least for now. Israel seeks genuinely head to head talks and wants them to alternate Between Damascus Syria and Jerusalem. The syrians Are insisting on minimal direct Contact with Israel until they feel they have some concessions principally on the return of the Golan Heights which Israel seized in the 1967 six Day War. The palestinian presence at the conference table with Israel poses an intriguing psychological test for leaders of the jewish state. Since the 1967 War when Israel captured the West Bank and Gaza the relationship has been that of occupied and occupier. Some of the 28 palestinian delegates and advisers in Madrid have spent time in israeli prisons. Few have Ever even met an israeli Cabinet minister let alone Shamir on equal terms. The Gap at the negotiating table is vast the palestinians want their own state in the occupied territories where 1.7 million of them live. Israel has steadfastly refused to discuss the idea. Mentioned the general themes to Pankin before they took the Rostrum together. Moments before Baker was about to speak. Pankin leaned Over and whispered in his ear asking if Baker would Tell the journalists that his statement was a a joint soviet american statement a a As Pankin had none of his own. Baker gladly complied. So it has been from the beginning of this peace conference diplomacy. Washington has written the Story line and All the speaking parts and the soviets have entered and exited on Cue. But what did they actually bring to the game that is was Baker bringing them along just out of habit or was there really some value added by the soviets involvement the soviets. Baker aides insisted made a definite contribution during the eight months it took to put the peace conference together. Their most important contribution the officials argue was not twisting the arms of their former patrons it was providing the arabs with the symbolic cover that Many of them needed to take part in what was essentially a a made in american diplomatic initiative. The palestinians the Palestine liberation organization and the syrians needed the soviets to be sitting next to the americans to demonstrate to themselves and their once Radical constituencies that they were not simply marching to an american tune. Middi i i As i i l \ i 1 Viks analysis conference table seating positions of delegates at the peace conference in Madrid which started wednesday. Observers observers include a Gulf cooperation Council Bahrain Kuwait Oman Qatar saudi Arabia . A United nations a maghreb Arab Union Algeria Morocco Mauritania Libya and Tunisia soviet Union United states european Community Delegate jordanian palestinian Delegate syrian Delegate v egyptian Delegate israeli Delegate lebanese Delegate the inaugural session was to be slightly different. President Bush soviet president Mikhail s. Gorbachev and Spanish prime minister Felipe Gonzalez Marquez were to occupy seats at the head of the table on the left half while Secretary of state James a. Baker Iii and soviet foreign minister Boris Pankin were to take the right Side.  Onle Renc a Aizers Trawin Iori sane Tep Syhl Feer