Egypt is determined to open its Embassy in Tel Aviv Feb. 26, 1980 even if there is no progress in the autonomy talks, Israel Radio reported from Paris today, quoting Egypt’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Butros Ghali.
Ghali told Israel Radio that Egypt aspired to strengthen the normalization process with Israel. However, he added, that if the negotiations fail, and Israel will make no concessions until April, 1980, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry would recommend the convening of an international convention under the auspices of the United Nations, with the participation of both the United States and the Soviet Union. He said a special committee in the Foreign Ministry was already working on this contingency.
Ghali demanded the following concessions: a halt to the Israeli settlements in the territories, an end to the purchase of Arab land, the release of political prisoners, and a limitation of the Israeli military presence in the West Bank. Ghali believed that if Israel mode such concessions, he could ask the Palestinians and the Palestine Liberation Organization to join the peace talks.
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