Egyptian news media are not preparing the Arab public for any significant political concessions by Egypt in return for Israel’s withdrawal from the strategic passes and oil fields in the Sinai, according to information received here from Cairo.
Analysts here have been pointing out that the question in the current negotiations being led by Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger is not what Israel will give up since it has been known for many weeks that Jerusalem is prepared to leave the strategic Mitle and Gidi Passes and the Abu Rodeis oil fields at the tip of the Gulf of Suez. This was one-half of Kissinger’s 50-50 assessment of chances for success before he left Washington. The other half, still unknown after almost a fortnight of shuttling by Kissinger, is what Egypt is prepared to contribute.
In this context, the Cairo media are silent on conciliation with Israel. Rather, they are emphasizing, as the Middle East News Agency in Cairo broadcast in Arabic, that the Cairo press is unanimous that on his current visit to Israel, Kissinger would present a Sadat specification that Israeli withdrawal in the Sinai must be related to a similar withdrawal on the Syrian front and the inviting of the Palestinians to Geneva.
While Israelis say any Israeli-Egyptian agreement must not be altered at Geneva, the semi-official Al Ahram is saying editorially in Cairo that the current discussions are not being held for the purpose of ending the war or concluding a peace treaty.
TRYING TO BLAME ISRAEL
The newspaper, Al Akhbar, declared that Kissinger’s task is aimed at bringing about a new Israeli withdrawal. This task, it said, is known to all except Israel. That newspaper also said Israel is disregarding what it claims is Kissinger’s aim, and the Israelis are trying to change the nature and objectives of Kissinger’s present tour.
An earlier analysis in Washington that Egypt was deliberately inflating Kissinger’s chances of success in order to pin the blame on Israel as “intransigent” if he fails, appears to be accurate. The Cairo propaganda appears to be abetted by some American commentators who argue that if Israel were not so intransigent and gives up the land it occupied in the Six-Day War, then peace would be at hand.
Egyptian President Anwar Sadat’s public position appears unchanged. His people know only from their media that an Israeli withdrawal is imperative and without any Egyptian acceptance of Israel’s sovereignty and a pledge of continuing negotiations to achieve peace.
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