Agreement between the Socialist Unity Party of Germany and the Palestine Liberation Organization for the Years 1978/1979

A g r e e m e n t

between the Socialist Unity Party of Germany and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) for the Years 1978/1979

Motivated by the joint desire to develop the fraternal relations between the Socialist Unity Party of Germany and the Palestine Liberation Organization, as well as between the people of the German Democratic Republic and the Arab people of Palestine, and in order to closer join together in the common struggle against imperialism and Zionism, and for peace, national independence, and social progress, the following agreement is concluded:

I.

1. The Socialist Unity Party of Germany and the Palestine Liberation Organization promote the exchange of delegations for exchanging experiences, and for consultations and meetings about fundamental questions of the bilateral relationship, and about the common struggle against imperialism and Zionism and for social progress.

2. The Central Committee of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany invites annually to the German Democratic Republic a delegation of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization for political consultations about subjects of current international and mutual interest.

3. The Socialist Unity Party of Germany and the Palestine Liberation Organization mutually invite delegations to party congresses, conferences, seminars, and official festivities.

4. The Socialist Unity Party of Germany and the Palestine Liberation Organization regularly exchange information, documentations, and publications that do contribute towards a deepening of mutual understanding and promote the friendly relations between both sides.

II.

1. The German Democratic Republic continues its solidarity support for the Palestinian people and provides the Palestine Liberation Organization with solidarity products over a value of four million [GDR] Marks annually.

Furthermore, the respective organs of the German Democratic Republic declare their willingness to provide the Palestine Liberation Organization with financial support for costs of the representation of the Palestine Liberation Organization in the German Democratic Republic in the amount of costs attached in the appendix (appendix).

2. The German Democratic Republic takes care of annual free medical treatment for 50 wounded fighters of the Palestine Liberation Organization in hospitals and sanatoriums of the German Democratic Republic.

3. The German Democratic Republic provides the Palestine Liberation Organization annually with at least 8 spots for specialist worker training.

4. Annually 50 Palestinian children will be provided with the opportunity to spend their summer vacations in the German Democratic Republic.

5. The German Democratic Republic provides annually four vacation spots for leading representatives of the Palestine Liberation Organization.

6. Details to implement the measures of solidarity listed under II. will be directly agreed between the Solidarity Committee of the German Democratic Republic and the Political Department of the Palestine Liberation Organization, or with the Office of the Chairman of the Executive Committee and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the Palestine Liberation Organization.

III.

1. The Socialist Unity Party of Germany and the Palestine Liberation Organization promote the establishment and development of friendly relations and fruitful cooperation between both sides, as well as the training of leading cadres in the political, scientific-cultural, and economic area.

2. The Socialist Unity Party of Germany and the Palestine Liberation Organization promote the exchange of delegations between trade unions and the peasants, women, and youth associations from both sides, as well as the training of cadres of the Palestine Liberation Organization in schools of the mass organizations of the German Democratic Republic.

For the Central Committee of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany
[signed] Gerhard Grünberg

Fore the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization
[signed] Yasser Arafat

Berlin, March 1978

Appendix

1. The GDR provides, to the representation of the PLO, four employees with GDR citizenship for a job in the representation, among them a secretary, a typist, and a driver.

2. The GDR provides a suitable building and is taking care of the furnishing of the representation, as well as of the apartments of the Palestinian employees.

3. The GDR is providing a car to the representation for use within the GDR.

4. The GDR is taking care of rent payments, as well as of the costs for the agreed service and maintenance of the building of the representation and the apartments of the Palestinian employees.

5. The GDR is taking care of the costs for the salaries of the GDR citizens listed under point 1.

6. The GDR is taking care of the ancillary costs generated by the building of the representation and by the apartments of the Palestinian employees (electricity, gas, cleaning of the objects, procurement of office material). Of the phone costs generated by the representation the GDR will cover 15,000 [GDR] Mark annually.

7. The GDR is taking care of taxes and insurance, as well as of service and maintenance of the car of the representation listed under point 3. It will participate in the costs for gasoline by an amount of 17,000 Mark annually.

8. The GDR is organizing the medical care of the Palestinian employees and will offer them vacation spots if needed.

9. The GDR is covering the costs for five flights Berlin - Beirut - Berlin annually.