The Michigan Daily
Vol. XC, No. 3-S
Ann Arbor, Michigan-
-Saturday, May 10, 1980
Free Issue
Twenty Pages
Libyan
holdout
assesses
embassy
situation
Thirty-one dead AP Photo
Rescue workers remove bodies from the mouth of Tampa Bay after nearly
1364 feet of the south bound span of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge was knocked
down by the freighter Summit Venture. The Coast Guard said 31 persons died.
See story, page 11.
Fleming: Princess
broil wil soon end
By ELAINE RIDEOUT
Copyright 1880, The Michigan Daily
As Libyan officials deliberated with
the U.S. State Department, embassy
holdout Abdalla Zbedi told the Daily,
"We're about to come to an
agreement," in an exclusive interview
yesterday.
By late afternoon. Libyan officials
had conceded to recall the four
diplomats and end the week-long con-
troversy that had threatened to sever
diplomatic relations between the two
countries. The two sides agreed that the
four Libyans accused by the State
Department of intimidating Libyan
dissidents in the U.S. will leave the
country by May 11. In a written
Exclusive
statement State Department
spokesman Hodding Carter told repor-
ters, "We still hope the Libyans will
comply ... If they do not we will have
no choice but to close the mission."
BUT ZBEDI, SPEAKING for himself
and the other three Libyans told the
Daily, "If our people want us to go
back, we will go back." He said that he
does not want to jeopardize diplomatic
relations between the two countries.
Zbedi, who was erroneously
described as a University doctoral can-
didate in philosophy by The New York
Times Thursday, is actually a doctoral
candidate in linguistics, although he
has not been registered for the past
academic year.
He denied State Department ac-
cusations linking him to a plot involving
threats of extermination and
harrassment of fellow Libyan dissiden-
ts.
"I CERTAINLY DON'T like what
they are doing to us," he said over the
telephone from the embassy. "We have
nothing to do with this-we're unaccep-
table because of events between the two
countries." Zbedi claimed he is in-
nocent of any wrongdoing and said,
"We would like to hear some charges."
He also claimed the FBI has no eviden-
ce against him and his colleagues.
"They have to say that they have
(evidence)," he said, "or it would make
them look even more ridiculous than
they are now-it's all rumor, it's based
on rumors."
The New York Times reported
yesterday that the FBI has had the four
See LIBYAN, Page 18
By NICK KATSARELAS
Former University President Robben
Fleming, director of the Corporation of
public Broadcasting (CPB), said
yesterday that the broadcast of the con-
troversial "Death of a Princess"
program on Public Broadcast Service
(PBS) this Monday will not jeopardize
future funding of PBS by its major un-
derwriters, like Mobil and Exxon.
"There are a great number of
freedom of expression cases like this
one," Fleming said, "and the great
bulk of them settle down.
"I EXPECT THIS one will, too," he
added.
The CPB was created by Congress
about 10 years ago and although it funds
PBS, Fleming said it does not involve
itself with the production of, or the
decision to broadcast, PBS programs.
Fleming said he was concerned about
pressure being exerted by the Saudi
Arabian government and Mobil on PBS
to reconsider showing the program. He
explained that because of possible
pressures which could infringe upon
See FLEMING, Page 13
Chrysler loan still in air
Details inside, Page 5.
Bush here
Flagging presidential candidate.George
Bush told a fund-raising audience al
the Michigan League last night that at
president he could restore U.S, work
predibility.See4tory;Page 3. -