Carter: U.S. Will Not Talk to PLO Until It Recognizes Israel’s Right to Exist and End Orses Resoluti

President Carter reiterated today that the United States will not deal with the Palestine Liberation Organization until it recognizes Israel’s right to exist and endorses United Nations Security Council Resolution 242.

Carter’s comment was made at a news conference in response to a question whether he agreed with Andrew Young, former U.S. Ambassador to the UN, and others that the U.S. do away with the promise former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger made to Israel not to negotiate with the PLO. The promise was made as part of the 1975 Sinai II agreements.

“No I do not,” the President replied. “We will not negotiate with the PLO, we will not recognize the PLO until after the PLO recognizes Israel’s right to exist” and endorses the UN resolution.

Earlier, Carter said he has “no plans to talk” to the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson about the Black activist’s recent visit to the Middle East. He noted that Jackson had reported on his trip to Robert Strauss, the President’s special Ambassador for Middle East negotiations. Jackson, who met with Strauss yesterday, later told reporters he ### the U.S. to meet with representatives of the PLO.

Today’s news conference, held in the Old Executive Building next to the White House, was the first formal press conference Carter has held here since July and the first since Young resigned his UN post after misinforming the State Department about his unauthorized meeting with the PLO’s observer at the UN. The Young resignation led Jackson and Southern Christian Leadership Conference officials to travel to the Mideast for meetings with PLO leader Yasir Arafat.

The President was also asked today whether he would consider a U.S. military intervention in the Mideast if the circumstances required. Carter replied that he sees no need for American intervention anywhere in the world at this time and such a step would be based on the question of U.S. security.