The Middle East Situation

The reunification of the Palestine Liberation Organization, after a four-year split, is clearly an event of significance with implications both in the Arab political arena and for the future of peace efforts in the region. One immediate effect of the Soviet-encouraged development was to highlight Syria's status as odd man out on many of the region's major issues. President al-Asad's visit to Moscow late last week was thus timely; Moscow is thought to be...