Begin Sends Memo to Carter

Premier Menachem Begin sent President Carter a memorandum regarding their December meeting, two days before President Anwar Sadat of Egypt left for Washington, Maariv reported today. The paper said the purpose of the memo was to stress once again the points of understanding reached between the two countries, to avoid any misunderstandings following the Carter-Sadat summit last weekend.

Begin’s memo included, according to Maariv, the recent developments in the Mideast, culminating with the breakdown of the Egyptian Israeli political committee talks last month. Begin mentioned in the past that Carter was impressed by Israel’s peace plan, seeing it as a “fair basis for negotiations.”

Political observers in Jerusalem say there have not yet been reports from the Sadat-Carter talks, but the general impression is that Carter is careful not to deviate from the understanding reached with Begin in December. Israel is now waiting for the publication of a joint Carter-Sadat communique which is believed to be forthcoming in a few days to see whether it will contradict Israel’s basic positions in the peace negotiations.

The expectation that a joint communique will be issued is based on a White House statement Sunday after the Camp David meeting between Carter and Sadat that the two Presidents “will further refine their views in the exchanges between their representatives over the next few days” as well as their Wednesday session. Carter also said Sunday night that he would make “a much more definite” statement on their talks following his final meeting with Sadat at the White House Wednesday.