Haig Encounters Differences of Opinion in Bonn London over How to Pursue Peace in the Mideast

— Secretary of State Alexander Haig whose 10-day junket, just ended, took him to four Middle Eastern countries and the capitals of America’s principal Western European allies, encountered differences of opinion in Bonn and London over the weekend as to how to pursue peace in the Middle East. In Paris, however, he apparently reached an understanding with French leaders on urgent action to end the fighting in Lebanon which might involve the creation of an international peace-keeping force to be stationed in that country.

Haig, due back in Washington tonight, met in Bonn yesterday with Chancellor Helmut Schmidt and Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher. According to West German officials, he briefed them on his visits to Egypt, Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

Differences surfaced between Haig and his German hosts over the Middle East peace process. While Haig urged Europeans to display diplomatic reserve in their approach to the problem, the Bonn government is still a prime mover behind the Middle East initiatives undertaken by the European Economic Community (EEC) which appears to run counter to joint American-Egyptian-Israeli peace efforts based on the Camp David frameworks.

The EEC position is that the Palestine Liberation Organization be associated with moves toward a comprehensive peace in the region. That view is shared in London where Haig met last Friday with Foreign Secretary Lord Carrington and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. At a press briefing, Carrington interrupted a reporter who raised the matter of U.S. opposition to any PLO role and ended the briefing.

TRYING TO DEVELOP A CONSENSUS

Haig told reporters that his main effort was to develope a “consensus” of awareness of the menace of Soviet interventionism in the Middle East

and he had stressed that point in his talks with leaders in the region. But he refused to acknowledge any differences with Britain over the European initiative, saying it was too early to tell. He characterized the EEC initiative as “a fact-finding effort” but indicated it would not replace the Camp David process. Haig said there were aspects of that process “as yet unachieved,” among which he listed the stalled autonomy talks and the creation of a multi-lateral peacekeeping force to police Sinai after Israel completes its withdrawal on April 1, 1982. He hinted that the U.S. will push for the speedy resumption of the autonomy talks after the Israeli elections are held June 30.

EFFORT TO END FIGHTING IN LEBANON

During a three-hour stopover in Paris yesterday, Haig conferred with President Valery Giscard d’Estaing and Foreign Minister Jean Francois-Poncet. He said a joint effort to stop the fighting in Lebanon would involve diplomatic action but might also include a multinational peacekeeping force.

“The United States will certainly have a role to play” in this action, he said, but did not specify whether the force would be created by the United Nations or by countries directly interested in Lebanon. Haig and Poncet stressed that Israel would be informed of any steps taken in that direction.

Questioned by reporters on Israeli intervention in south Lebanon, Haig said “We are opposed to the use of force by any party and are in favor of a definite cease-fire in the area. “He implied that his position was made clear to the Israelis when he visited Jerusalem last week.

In Washington, State Department spokesman William Dyess urged all parties involved in Lebanon to “exercise maximum restraint so that this continuing violence can be ended.” He made that statement last Friday after he was asked about the Israeli raid Thursday night into Lebanon, the Katyusha rocket attacks on Israel Friday morning and an Israeli air attack on a terrorist base in Lebanon Friday.

Dyess also said that the UN was “concerned” about the “continuing violence” in Lebanon. He refused to say whether Secretary of State Alexander Haig had discussed the Israeli raids with Israeli government officials when he was in Jerusalem earlier in the week but referred reporters to an April 3 statement on Lebanon by the White House which opposed “preemptive attacks.”