Peace Talks ‘almost Certain’ to Resume when Tekoah, El-farra Return Next Week

Diplomatic sources said today that it is “almost certain” that the peace talks, which have been stalled since last Thursday, will resume sometime next week with the return from Jerusalem of Israeli Ambassador Yosef Tekoah and the return from Amman of Jordanian Ambassador Muhammad H. E1-Farra. The feeling expressed by a number of sources is that Israel will be more amenable to continuing the talks in view of the public announcement today by the Nixon administration that it has evidence of Egyptian truce violations. It was almost certain, sources noted, that the Israelis now feel vindicated but that Mr. Tekoah will continue to press Ambassador Gunnar V. Jarring, the Middle East peace envoy under whose auspices the talks are taking place, to make clear Israel’s position to the Egyptian and Jordanian ambassadors that continuation of the peace talks is contingent on an immediate halt – if not withdrawal – of missiles and sites the Egyptians deployed within the 32-mile standstill zone since the truce went into effect on August 7.

At the same time, reports reaching here from diplomatic sources in the Middle East indicate that Dr. El-Farra has been instructed by his government that the talks can only continue if the Israelis desist from further incorporating occupied territories and integrating them into Israel. John K. Cooley, the Middle East correspondent for the Christian Science Monitor, writing today from Amman quoted the Jordanian ambassador as stating: “There must be a political standstill in Israel’s measures to integrate occupied Arab territory along with the military standstill in Egypt.” Mr. Cooley said Dr. El-Farra cited Israeli efforts to develop new Jewish settlements between Jerusalem and Hebron. “If they keep up such measures it will certainly be difficult to continue talks with Dr. Jarring.” Dr. El-Farra was quoted. Although a UN spokesman said that Dr. Jarring was “continuing his work” there was no indication that he would meet with anyone today. The spokesman contended that the peace envoy continued to feel the peace talks would not fall apart.