Secretary of State Cyrus Vance and Israeli Foreign Minister Moshe Dayan exchanged cordial remarks and reaffirmed the traditional U.S.-Israeli friendship after a two-hour working lunch at the State Department today. But Dayan indicated that the problems which have arisen to give U.S.-Israeli relations a strained atmosphere remain unresolved.
After meeting with reporters in the State Department’s diplomatic lobby, Dayan, accompanied by Vance, went to the White House to pay a courtesy call on President Carter.
The President’s meeting with Dayan, which lasted 30 minutes, was described by the White House as “friendly and candid.” The White House gave no details of the meeting but said Carter told Dayan he was looking forward to Israeli Premier Menachem Begin’s visit to the U.S. on March 14-15. After his meeting with the President, Dayan held a press conference where he said Israeli Defense Minister Ezer Weizman will be in Washington March 6-7.
Vance addressed Dayan as “an old friend” and said they had discussed a number of matters relating to the peace negotiations and “steps that are going to be taken” when U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Alfred Atherton returns to the Middle East Monday to resume his mediating task.
Vance said, “We have reaffirmed our commitment to the peace process and the need to move forward.” He said the questions discussed with Dayan included a declaration of principles which he described as “an important step in the peace process.”
NO SUBSTITUTE FOR U.S. MEDIATION
A reporter asked Dayan if anything has happened in the last 10 days to cause him to doubt that the U.S. can play the role of honest broker and mediator in the Arab-Israeli conflict. Dayan replied, “I still believe, as in the past, that the U.S. is to go on in the role of mediator, not only between the parties but with the parties to achieve peace.” He said “there is no substitute” for the U.S. and without it, there cannot be any progress.
Asked if the Carter Administration’s proposed sale of combat aircraft to Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Israel has changed anything in the American-Israeli relationship, Dayan said that the proposed sales “and other things are of much concern to us but that does not mean we don’t want to go ahead” with the peace negotiations with the U.S. as “mediator between Israel and the Arab countries.”
Dayan declined to comment on the State Department view that Saudi Arabia is not a confrontation state opposing Israel. He noted that Begin and Weizman will “deal with the matter” during their visits here. Asked if he was able to iron out any of the problems between Israel and the U.S., such as the settlements issue, Dayan replied, “Not really.” He added that what took place in his discussion with Vance today should not be made public.
ISRAEL READY FOR DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES
At a crowded press conference at the Washington Hilton Hotel after meeting with Carter, Dayan said that Israel is ready to agree to a declaration of principles with Egypt in general terms but that preconditions such as full withdrawal and a Palestinian state “are negative” and Israel will not agree to them.
Dayan emphasized that President Anwar Sadat of Egypt has not made any conditions for sitting down to talk with Israel. He said that in the next few months, King Hussein of Jordan will have to decide whether he will join Sadat in negotiations without preconditions. If he does, Dayan said, “we can overcome the problems between us and Jordan, us and the Palestinians and us and Egypt.” If Hussein will not join, Sadat will have to decide whether “he is going to make a separate peace or forget the whole thing,” Dayan said.
Asked if he thought U.S. support for Israel was eroding in view of the proposed aircraft sales to Egypt and Saudi Arabia and the American condemnation of Israeli settlements, Dayan said: “I do believe, to my regret, that the decisions causes us deep concern. We are very upset about them.” He noted, for example, that Israel has to ask why the Saudis are building an air base at Tabuk on the Gulf of Aqaba, only 10 minutes flight from southern Israel. He said the aircraft proposed for sale to the Saudis “could cover Israel’s skies without refueling.”
NO EROSION IN SUPPORT OF ISRAEL
Asked whether there was any erosion in support of Israel by Americans over the settlements, Dayan replied that among the people he met in the Jewish communities he did not find any erosion in support of Israel. “Some did not understand or agree on some points like settlements, but there is no erosion whatsoever.”
Dayan said he preferred to have discussions with American Jews rather than have the “Jewish community follow Israel right or wrong.” He said he preferred hard questions because that deepened the relationship.
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