President Carter announced this afternoon that he, Premier Menachem Begin of Israel and Prime Minister Mustapha Khalil of Egypt will meet at Camp David later this week on furthering the negotiations for an Israeli -Egyptian peace treaty. There was no immediate explanation of why President Anwar Sadat will not participate in the Camp David meting.
Carter read his brief statement to the media following a half hour meeting with Khalil, Israeli Foreign Minister Moshe Dayan and Secretary of State. Cyrus Vance who had been meeting at Camp David since Tuesday night. He said:
“For the past week, I as President, have kept in close touch with the negotiations at Camp David ” and that Khalil, Dayan and Vance “have now given me a first hand report … In light of the developments of the talks at Camp David this past week, we are discussing with the two governments possibility of moving these negotiations to the head -of -government level later this week.
“Prime Minister Begin will represent Israel and Prime Minister Khalil has been authorized by President Sadat to conclude these negotiations on behalf of Egypt. I will be going to Camp David with Prime Minister Begin, Prime Minister Khalil and Secretary Vance.” The President added, “I am prepared to spare no effort in achieving the peace settlement foreseen in the Camp David accords reached last year. The other two parties in the negotiations share this determination.”
Carter announced that Khalil and Dayan will leave this evening for Cairo and Jerusalem respectively. He said that his statement had been drafted jointly with them.
EGYPT. INCREASES ITS DEMANDS
The President’s announcement spelled the end of the ministerial level talks that began at Camp David Tuesday night and had been under a virtual news blackout. The Jewish Telegraphic Agency learned from informed sources that Egypt had increased its demands and toughened its position and that Vance, after two days of intensive talks with Dayan and Khalil, did not succeed in reaching a suitable compromise.
(Lack of progress at Camp David was reported in Jerusalem by Israel Radio today. The report said Dayan was due home tomorrow and that begin has called an extraordinary Cabinet meeting for Tuesday.)
Speculation aver why Sadat will be absent from the new Camp David talks ran the gamot from reports that he was too preoccupied with affairs of state in Cairo to allegations that he and not want to face Begin again because of their personal differences. Some sources suggested that the fact that Khalil will represent Egypt indicated that Sadat is unwilling to commit himself personally to some compromise and will be in a position to block a final treaty with Israel after agreement is reached between Begin, Khalil and Carter.
In addition, informed sources here felt that the absence of Sadat means that Carter is seeking further concessions from Begin and does not need anything from Sadat. Another factor in this scenario is that Sadat has given his conditions and wants Carter to impose them upon Begin. “The absence of Sadat is bad news for Israel,” one informed source said.
However, Presidential News, Secretary Jody Powell told a press conference after Carter made his statement that the issue of concessions does not appear to be a factor in the forthcoming summit meeting. He said the exact date for the beginning of the meeting will be known by midweek.
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.
