A daily pick of news events that happened on this day in history from the pages of Gulf News dated March 6, 1980.
The hand of friendship
French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing has arrived on his first state visit to the UAE, held his initial round of talks with UAE President Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. UAE rolled out the red carpet for the French President, Madamme Giscard and other French ministers and officials accompanying them. Giscard warmly greeted at the Abu Dhabi airport by Shaikh Zayed, Vice President and Prime Minister and Dubai Ruler His Highness Shaikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum.
Iranian students holding the American hostages in Tehran refused again to let the UN investigating commission meet their captives even though Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini gave his implied approval to the meeting.
Foreign Minister Sadeq Qotbzadeh who favours the visit, accused "Communists and Zionists" of trying to foil the commission's mission, an apparent reference to leftists among the captors.
Growing furore over Carter's Middle East policy
Arabs and Israelis alike have attacked the United States for a hasty double face in its Middle East policy, US officials said. The Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) condemned President Jimmy Carter for going back on US support for a United Nations resolution calling for the dismantlement of Israeli settlements in occupied Arab territory. US Ambassador to UN Donald McHenry reacted angrily to the shift, saying it left Washington with "the worst of both worlds - angering both Arabs and Israelis."
Portuguese government clashes with military
Portugal's right-wing government came out into open conflict with its military opponents, launching a strong attack on radical officers in the watchdog Council of the Revolution. The Cabinet issued a statement saying it had confidence in the loyalty of the armed forces to democratic institutions. But it denounced the actions of some unnamed members of the l8-man council, which is headed by President Antonio Ramalho Eanes.
