Carter Says U.S. Would Submit Autonomy Proposals Only to Break Israeli-egyptian ‘deadlock’

President Carter stressed today that the United States would make its own proposals to Egypt and Israel on autonomy for the West Bank and Gaza Strip only if necessary to “break a deadlock” or suggest a compromise. Asked at a press conference late today whether it was not “incumbent” on the U.S. to make its own proposals, Carter said it would be “counterproductive” for the U.S. to “pre-empt” the negotiations on autonomy now going on between Israel and Egypt.

“We have never been reticent about putting forth ideas,” Carter said, adding that this is what both Israel and Egypt want. But he said the same policy would be followed as at the Camp David talks in which the American proposals would be made only after Israel and Egypt have discussed their own views and cannot reach an agreement. The President said the U.S. has “never espoused an independent Palestinian state” and said to make such a proposal would hurt the negotiations. Carter added that he spoke by phone with Israeli Premier Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat over the weekend and with Secretary of State Cyrus Vance today and they all were “excited” not only at the progress so far but at the “attitude” of Egypt and Israel toward future steps for peace.

On another issue, Carter said he hoped “the report is true” that the Soviet Union plans to release the 12 remaining Soviet Jews still in prison, including Anatoly Shcharansky, but he doesn’t have any information on it. He said all he knew is what he read in the newspapers about the pledge made to Robert Hawke, president of the Australian Council of Trade Unions. Hawke was told by Soviet officials in Moscow last week that the USSR would ease emigration restrictions and will release the 12 Jewish Prisoners of Conscience.