President Carter has expressed hope that the Palestinians will “escape” from the terror against them and negotiate for peace in the Middle East. At the same time, the President reaffirmed that he will not negotiate with the Palestine Liberation Organization unless they meet the requirement he has previously described, the acceptance of Security Council Resolution 242. (See related story P. 3.)
Carter made his comments in response to a question at a press conference last Friday with editors and news directors from outside of Washington.
“As far as direct relations or consultations or negotiations with the PLO is concerned,” Carter said, “we will not do this unless the PLO endorses the United Nations (Security Council) Resolution 242, the basis for all our discussions and a resolution that has been endorsed by all of the Arab countries as well as the Israelis, and also recognizes Israel’s right to exist.
“As long as the PLO’s constitution and commitment is dedicated to the destruction of Israel, we will not negotiate with them.” Saying that “we are eager” for “the Palestinian people themselves to effectuate the agreements” reached at Camp David in September and encompassed in the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty, the President added:
“My-hope is that in a couple of months, when El Arish is returned to Egypt and the borders between Israel and Egypt are open, that the free travel of Palestinians and Egyptians, for instance, back and forth between their homes, will alleviate the tension and let the Palestinians escape from the unwarranted constraint of the threat of terrorism against them if they negotiate to get, to use Mr. (Menachem) Begin’s expression, full autonomy.”
Carter also stated: “I think (President Anwar) Sadat has done more for the Palestinians and their cause then any other Arab leader. Now they are fearful of the carrying out of threats of death by some of the more radical Arab elements in the Mideast. So we are eager to see the Palestinian people participate to have full autonomy.
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