Behind the Headlines Hussein Visit to Washington Not Seen As Bringing Direct Talks Nearer

While Israel has shown less than enthusiasm for the results of the talks in Washington last week between the Reagan Administration and King Hussein of Jordan, the Administration is maintaining that the talks have moved the peace process forward.

Yet there are no signs that Hussein’s visit has brought the United States any closer to achieving its announced goal of direct face-to-face negotiations between Israel and a joint Jordanian-Palestinian delegation.

Hussein made it clear that he will not enter into direct talks with Israel. He is not Anwar Sadat nor does he want to meet the fate of the former Egyptian President. After all he witnessed the assassination of his grandfather, King Abdullah, for moving toward peace with Israel and he himself has thwarted several assassination attempts since ascending to the Hashemite throne in 1952.

HUSSEIN NEEDS ‘UMBRELLA’

Hussein made it plain last week that he needs the “umbrella” of an international conference to have what he said would be direct talks with Israel. He also said this conference should include the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council which would bring the Soviet Union into the talks.

Before leaving Washington, the King also stressed that the Palestine Liberation Organization must be included in any negotiations with Israel. All these demands have up to now been opposed by the Reagan Administration, not to say Israel.

The Administration, which immediately after Hussein’s meeting with President Reagan seemed to be softening its opposition to an international conference, made clear by the end of last week that it was opposed to including the Soviet Union in any Mideast conference until it met certain conditions, including restoring diplomatic relations with Israel, ending anti-Semitic propaganda and allowing Soviet Jews to emigrate.

Another objection not emphasized as such is the Administration’s belief that an international conference would deteriorate into a stage for political rhetoric from all sides rather than serious negotiations. After all, disarmament is supposed to be dealt with by the UN, but when serious negotiations are called for they are confined to face-to-face talks between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.

However, there was an indication here last week that the Administration would try to find some type of international forum that would not include the Soviets and thus still give Hussein his protective “umbrella.”

PALESTINIAN PARTICIPATION STILL UNCERTAIN

However, before even this step can be reached an agreement must be made on the Palestinian members of the joint Jordanian-Palestinian delegation. Hussein repeatedly argued here last week that through his February II agreement with PLO leader Yasir Arafat and especially in his recent talks with the PLO, he has received PLO acceptance of UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338 and an agreement to negotiate with Israel.

The Administration, while declaring it was encouraged by this, stressed that it still wants “explicit and public” acceptance by the PLO of the two resolutions as well as the terrorist organization’s acknowledgement that Israel has a right to exist before it will enter into any talks with PLO members.

Both Hussein and the Administration agree that the “next step” should be a U.S. meeting with the joint Jordanian-Palestinian delegation. Here, too, the question is membership with the U.S. refusing to talk to PLO members unless the organization meets its conditions.

U.S. TO TALK TO PNC MEMBERS

However, Secretary of State George Shultz repeated on Friday the Administration’s long held view that the U.S. would talk with members of the Palestine National Council who are not members of the PLO. Israel has long considered the PNC an arm of the PLO. Israeli Foreign Minister Yitzhak Shamir said he would never sit down with PNC members, although Premier Shimon Peres is being vague about his position.

While Washington is keeping Jerusalem informed, it may not necessarily seek Israel’s approval before meeting with the joint delegation. From the time of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s visit to Washington in March through Shultz’s Mideast visit last month, the U.S. insisted it would agree to meet with the joint delegation if that would lead to direct talks between the delegation and Israel. But last week Administration spokesmen argued that the Palestinian members of the delegation that meet with the U.S. might not necessarily be the same ones who would negotiate with Israel.

Administration spokesmen also argued last week that progress in the Mideast must come through increments. But as of now any increments from Hussein appear small. More likely, the Administration, which by saying before Hussein’s arrival that no breakthroughs should be expected upset the King, could not let Hussein leave Washington without the appearance of some accomplishment.

ARMS FOR JORDAN

There are of course some skeptics who believe the entire visit was aimed at paving the way for U.S. arms to Jordan. Likud MK Dan Meridor told the Middle Eastern Affairs Committee of the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith that Hussein’s proposals are “nothing more than a smoke screen for the arms he wants to buy from the U.S.”

Reagan said that the U.S. would meet Jordan’s economic and security needs. But Hussein met with members of Congress and he certainly was told of the strong Congressional opposition, in both the Senate and House, against any arms to Jordan unless it enters into direct negotiations with Israel.