U.S. Rejects Charges of Oil Pressure

The State Department today strongly rejected charges in the United States and Israel that the U.S. was changing its policy in the Middle East in order to ensure continued supplies of oil from Saudi Arabia and other Arab oil-producing countries. Department spokesman Tom Reston also denied that the U.S. was trying to “tamper with or change” United Nations Security Council Resolution 242 to meet Arab demands that references to Palestinian rights be included.

“Oil is not a controlling factor–it is in no way linked to our policy in the Middle East,” Reston said. “It has been repeated over and over again by Ambassador Robert Strauss (President Carter’s special envoy for Middle East negotiations), and Assistant Secretary of State Harold Saunders, in a recent statement, emphasizing the U.S. is not doing anything in the negotiations based on our needs for oil. I want to confirm this to you today.”

Reston noted that Strauss, Saunders and other Administration officials have repeatedly denied reports that the U.S. agreed to change its position on the Palestinians in return for Saudi Arabia’s promise last month of increased oil production.

The Department spokesman reiterated that the U.S. has not changed its policy on the Palestine Liberation Organization and that “there has been no change or shift in the U.S. policy of close friendship and firm support of Israel.”

Similarly, Reston stressed that “The United States is not engaged in any effort to tamper with or change Resolution 242 of the UN. In fact, that resolution remains the basis of our Middle East efforts, the Camp David framework and the (Egyptian-Israeli) peace signing,”

DETERMINING POSITION ON PALESTINIANS

Reston noted that the U.S. is “engaged in the debate on the issue of Palestinian rights” at the Security Council. “We are still in the process of determining what our position will be in that debate which resumes on Aug. 23. We are in close contact with the State of Israel and other countries about the debate.”

Reston said the U.S. has not decided what its position will be on any resolution that is presented to the Security Council, “except to say that the U.S. position on the PLO remains unchanged.” The U.S. has been reported as ready to support a resolution that would change Resolution 242 to include support for Palestinian rights in hopes that this will persuade the PLO to support Resolution 242, including the provisions affirming Israel’s right to exist.”

In reaction to this, the Israeli Cabinet on Sunday adopted a strong resolution rejecting any change in 242 and declaring that Israel will never agree to negotiate with the PLO. The resolution was forwarded to Washington and Israeli Ambassador Ephraim Evron is expected to discuss it with President Carter over lunch at the White House tomorrow. Evron has already discussed it with Vance and Sounders. Meanwhile, Reston said Strauss will be returning to the Mideast Aug. 18-20 to “push forward the process laid out at Camp David.”