Carter Says It is Too Early to Define Palestinian Participation in a Geneva Mideast Peace Confab

President Carter said today that it is “too early” to define Palestinian participation in a Geneva conference on Middle East peace and his decision will follow another “complete round” of talks that Secretary of State Cyrus Vance will hold with Middle East leaders after his own current series of talks concludes next month.

Meeting briefly with reporters following his third and final meeting with King Hussein of Jordan at the White House, the President was asked to clarify whether PLO representatives or Palestinians who are not part of the PLO would participate in the Geneva conference as members of the Jordanian delegation.

“It is too early to start spelling out specifics about that,” Carter replied. “The one thing I might add, on which all the (Middle East) leaders seem to agree, is that the more agreement we can reach before going to Geneva, the less argument there is going to be about the form of Palestinian representation.”

According to an official White House transcript of the President’s remarks, Carter added that “Unless we see some strong possibility for substantial achievements before the Geneva conference can be convened, unless we see that prospect, then I think it would be better not to have the Geneva conference at all.”

WARNS AGAINST HIGH EXPECTATIONS

Carter said, however, that so far he has been encouraged and he is not “more pessimistic” than before King Hussein’s visit. But, he warned, “To raise expectations too high I think would be potentially very damaging.” He said that after his meetings with all Middle East leaders end, “we will have a much clearer concept of what can be done.” He side-stepped a question when asked whether Hussein was “critical in any way.”

In another reference to the Palestinians, Carter said “I think that the exact composition of the delegations, including the Palestinians, of course, and the inter-relationships that exist among the Arab nations, whether part of the discussions would be done as a group and part of them on a bilateral basis, those kinds of things have to be worked out.”

Later, White House Press Secretary Jody Powell, when asked to amplify the President’s remarks, said that the President had “avoided talking” about the Palestinian situation. “The President did not intend to describe the details of representation,” Powell said. He added that it is a matter for later “bilateral and multi-lateral discussions.”

Powell refused to say what the President’s position is at present, now that Carter has met with the leaders of Israel, Egypt and Jordan, on a possible Palestinian state which Egyptian President Anwar Sadat said three weeks ago that Egypt wanted. Asked to whom Israel would give the West Bank, the question was referred to a State Department specialist, George Sherman, who said the final disposition of the territories would be resolved in negotiations.

DISCUSS ISSUE OF WEAPONS

Powell said the President, who met with Hussein for 70 minutes this morning and privately for an hour last night after the White House banquet, had promised that he would continue to use his good offices “for a negotiated settlement this year.”

Powell said Carter and Hussein agreed that “the devastating arms burden on Arabs and Israelis alike” should be reduced. But Powell noted that this matter was “in the context of a long-term view” that looks at and beyond the prospects over the next 10 years or even 20 years. Powell also pointed out that the question of Middle East arms involves nations other than the U.S.

Powell said U.S. aid to Jordan for fiscal year 1978, beginning next Oct. 1, has been set at $93 million in economic aid and $130 million in military assistance. Together, this represents an increase over fiscal year 1977 of $17 million. The current economic program for Jordan is $76 million and military aid is $131 million.