First Detailed Talks Begin Between Israel and Lebanon

A subcommittee to deal with ending the state of war between Israel and Lebanon was set up by delegations of the two countries meeting in Khalde this morning. It is the first of several subcommittees which will negotiate the various items on the agenda agreed to by Israel and Lebanon last Thursday, an Israeli spokesman said.

The state of war subcommittee is headed jointly by the chief Lebanese negotiator, Antoine Fatale and Elyakim Rubinstein, legal advisor to Israel’s Foreign Ministry. Israel Radio said this morning that the subcommittee might meet more frequently and on a different sequence of days than the full negotiating teams. The latter have been meeting twice weekly for the past three weeks, alternating between Khalde, just south of Beirut, and the Israeli border town of Kiryat Shmona.

As the talks got underway today, U.S. special Ambassador Philip Habib waited in Jerusalem for word of any substantive progress. He met at length last night with Israeli Foreign Minister Yitzhak Shamir, Defense Minister Ariel Sharon and David Kimche, director general of the Foreign Ministry who heads the Israeli negotiating team.

According to Israeli sources, Habib said he thought agreements in principle could be worked out within a week. The sources said Habib would try to persuade the Lebanese government to accept an agreement he worked out with the Israelis.

TALKS ARE ON PARALLEL TRACKS

The negotiations are now proceeding on parallel franks. The Israeli, Lebanese and U.S. delegations continue to meet regularly while Habib talks separately with the Shamir-Sharon-Kimche team and with Lebanese officials in an effort to bring the two sides together. The American diploma has already impressed on the Israeli ministers President Reagan’s urgent desire that progress be achieved without delay.

Observers here said today that Habib’s presence in the area and the fact that he derives his authority directly from the President will spur the Israelis and Lebanese to make swift progress toward an agreement. Habib is said to be waiting for the opportune moment to draw Syria into the negotiating process, utilizing shuttle diplomacy for the time being rather than direct talks between the three countries.

Syrian cooperation is the prerequisite for the early withdrawal of all foreign forces from Lebanon. Reports from Damascus today said the Palestine Liberation Organization leadership there has begun practical discussions on the removal of the estimated 6,000 PLO fighters from Lebanon. Israel insists that the PLO forces pull out first to be followed by the simultaneous withdrawal of Israeli and Syrian forces.

At the opening of today’s negotiating session, Kimche reiterated Israel’s denial of Beirut press reports that the Israelis and Syrians had reached a secret understanding to partition Lebanon into spheres of influence. Fatale thanked Kimche for clarifying that matter.