The situation called for soothing apologies and mutual assurances, anything to quell the bad feelings stirred by the hijacking a few weeks earlier of the Achille Lauro. Washington extended a hand to Italy, Egypt and Tunisia--and each, in turn, responded with varying degrees of warmth. In Italy, where a rancorous debate over Prime Minister Bettino Craxi's handling of the incident toppled the government two weeks ago, Craxi took steps to resurrect his five-party coalition. In Egypt, where students had taken to the streets, burning American flags and chanting provocative anti-U.S. slogans, calm was restored. But even as the bruised countries sought...
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