The World - News from May 30, 1989

Cardinal John J. O’Connor of New York said that his trip to Lebanon did not help American and other Western hostages believed held in Beirut. After his arrival over the weekend, the Roman Catholic archbishop appealed three times to pro-Iranian kidnapers to be allowed to visit the Americans, but he received no response. At his final news conference at the Bkirki monastery north of Beirut, O’Connor said in reply to questions that he did not know the religion of acting Muslim Premier Salim Hoss or the political role of the army commander, Maj. Gen. Michel Aoun, who heads a rival Christian Cabinet. The visit was aimed at refocusing attention on the plight of the hostages. The cardinal was expected to leave for Cyprus today by army helicopter.