Secretary of State Alexander Haig said today that the “possible resumption of the F-16” warplanes to Israel will be decided after he gets the reports tonight of State Department Counsellor Robert McFarlane, who reportedly reached an agreement on the issue last night with Premier Menachem Begin in Jerusalem.
Haig said the report will be forwarded to President Reagan before a final decision is taken on the lifting of the suspension of the F-16s deliveries to Israel the President ordered after the Israeli raid June 7 on Iraq’s nuclear reactor.
Haig made these remarks at a Foreign Policy Association luncheon at the Hilton Hotel here. His comments on the Mideast came during the question and answer period, after he delivered a half-hour speech on U.S. arms control policy.
Haig said that the mission of special envoy Philip Habib to defuse tension between Israel and Syria over the placement of Syrian missiles in Lebanon “is a continuing source of hope” for a peaceful resolution of the conflict. He said the fact that hostilities did not break out in the area proves the U.S. was right in undertaking the Habib mission.
The Secretary of State also said he is “optimistic” that “we will soon, perhaps as early as this week, initial the Sinai disengagement proposal,” between Israel and Egypt regarding the peacekeeping force to be established after Israel’s final withdrawal from the Sinai in April 1982.
SUMMIT MEETING WILL AID PEACE PROCESS
Haig noted that President Anwar Sadat of Egypt and Israel’s next Premier, who, Haig said, will probably be Menachem Begin, will meet next month with Reagan.
“As a result of these meetings, the peace process will be resumed with more vigor,” he said. He also noted, in that connection, that an Israeli official, whom he did not name, said recently that the autonomy negotiations between Israel, Egypt and the U.S. will be resumed, continuing the Camp David process.
In response to a question whether he feels that the U.S. policy toward Israel is too “lenient” in view of Begin’s policies, Haig said he does not agree with this assessment. He said the Administration policy toward Israel is on the tradition followed by all Presidents of commitment to Israel’s preservation and security.
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