Big Four Set to Say Yes to Jarring Mission; Thant Encouraged About Mideast Peace

The ambassadors of the United States, the Soviet Union, Britain and France meeting here tomorrow are expected to report to Secretary General U Thant that a basis now exists for the resumption of Ambassador Gunnar V. Jarring’s peace mission. This expectation was buoyed by U.S. Secretary of State William P. Rogers who formally announced yesterday after meeting with Mr. Thant, Dr. Jarring and Undersecretary Dr. Ralph J. Bunche that Israel, Egypt and Jordan had accepted in principle a 90-day cease-fire and of a new effort at a negotiated settlement. The next step would be for Mr. Thant to submit a formal report to the Security Council recommending that Dr. Jarring return to his work. This step was indicated today by Mr. Thant who issued a statement declaring: “It is my intention, hopefully very soon, to inform the members of the Security Council of current efforts and developments by means of a report to the Council.” The Secretary General noted that in light of information “written and oral, available to me thus far, and particularly after the very helpful talk yesterday with Secretary of State Rogers, I am encouraged by recent developments in the quest for peace in the Middle East. There is now, I feel, a real chance to make important advances.”

Mr. Thant cautioned, however, that over-optimism “should be avoided.” He noted that “there is often a tendency for some to expect too much, too soon.” Mr. Thant stated that Dr. Jarring is here “engaging in intensive consultations…He is ready to undertake all that may be required of him under his mandate. The United Nations is prepared to provide any other assistance whenever called upon.” Although the Secretary General did not indicate what assistance would be provided Dr., Bunche last week said that one of the first actions the UN would try to undertake in the event of a cease-fire agreement would be to restore observation posts along each side of the Suez Canal which had been destroyed or damaged by Israeli and Egyptian artillery fire. In his statement today, Mr. Thant observed that speculation about specifics in the next steps are “either unanswerable at this stage or prudence, in the interest of progress, would dictate that they remain unanswered for the time being. Speculation about delicate and sensitive issues knows no bounds and often serves to complicate and confuse matters.” Mr. Rogers, at the end of his 90-minute meeting with the UN officials, said “the time has arrived for quiet diplomacy in the Middle East. It is important for those concerned in the negotiations to discuss all aspects of the problem seriously and quietly.” This was almost the same language Mr. Rogers used on July 25 when he first made public his plan to encourage Arabs and Israelis to “stop shooting and start talking.” At that time he asserted that “I think for the moment the emphasis should be on diplomatic initiatives.”

Meanwhile, Dr. Jarring met today with Israeli Ambassador Yosef Tekoah and was also scheduled to meet with the Egyptian and Jordanian ambassadors. There was some speculation here that the cease-fire might go into effect by some time next week. The date of the beginning of the cease-fire, which originally was proposed by Mr. Rogers to have begun on July 1, is expected to be worked out between the U.S. and the parties involved in the conflict on the basis of the U.S. peace plan. The role of the Big Four and the UN in the period ahead will be to suggest possible sites for the negotiations and the substance of Dr. Jarring’s talks with the parties. Geneva. Nicosia and New York have all been cited as possible locations for the talks. Mr. Rogers declined to indicate where he thought the talks should begin. Noting that this was up to Ambassador Jarring, Mr. Rogers added: “The diplomacy that has to occur in the days ahead will be under the auspices of Ambassador Jarring and pursuant to the Security Council resolution (242).” Before substantive talks begin, however, Dr. Jarring must receive in writing, according to the Rogers letter of July 19 to Egypt, a statement from Israel. Egypt and Jordan that they are willing to carry out the Security Council resolution and to designate representatives to discuss with Dr. Jarring in order to reach agreement on establishing “a just and lasting peace” based on “mutual acknowledgement of each others sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence, and Israeli withdrawal from territories occupied in the 1967 conflict.”