Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger told a press conference here today that he had been informed about the book by Matti Golan, banned in Israel, purportedly containing transcripts of private conversations in Israel between him and then Premier Golda Meir and that he was not “particularly worried” about the development. He said it would not “affect negotiations with the Arab countries or the Soviets” on the Middle East.
He held the press conference during a visit here for a speech to the Kansas City International Relations Council, a public affairs organization.
Kissinger declined to discuss Israeli former Foreign Minister Abba Eban’s charge that the Israeli government had been inflexible and thus caused the failure of Kissinger’s effort in March for a second-stage Israeli-Egyptian accord. Kissinger commented only that Mideast negotiations “are extremely complicated” and that any “analysis” of the talks “depends on the point in time in which it starts.” In dismissing the report on the Golan book, Kissinger referred to “the closeness” of United States-Israel relations.
Kissinger also noted that what was involved in the suspended talks was that Israel was to contribute territories, “tangible things for intangibles,” adding that “how to balance these two is complicated and difficult.” He said also that negotiations were further complicated by Arab pressures and political divisions within Israel.
He indicated that the U.S. Had not ruled out a new round of shuttle diplomacy but said it would be “unwise and risky” for the U.S. to involve its prestige in new negotiations unless it was assured by the parties of success in advance. He added that he had no new ideas from either Israel or Egypt and that the U.S. would have a better judgement on the resumption of shuttle talks after President Ford met with Egyptian President Anwar Sadat in Salzburg, Austria on June 1-2 and with Premier Yitzhak Rabin in Washington June 11-12.
Kissinger said again that until the Palestine Liberation Organization affirmed the existence of Israel, “we have no decision to make” regarding the PLO as a participant in negotiations. After that, he said, “we might look at the problem.”
He said delivery of “Hawk” missiles to Jordan, plans for which were announced last week. Involved “an on-going shipment” and, in that context, he referred to the “on-going shipment” of weapons “to Israel during the reassessment” by the Ford Administration of its Mideast policy. Kissinger said the U.S. should continue to be Jordan’s principal arms suppliers to help it continue what he termed its extremely moderate, restrained position.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
