King Hussein of Jordan said today that the Arab states intend to continue their dialogue with the United States in the search of a global peace in the Middle East based on the American peace plan outlined by President Reagan last September. Hussein, who yesterday led a seven-member Arab delegation which met with President Francois Mitterrand, said he will meet Reagan on December 21 in Washington.
Hussein told a press conference here today that the differences between the French and the Arab stands are minimal and seem to turn around France’s demand that the Palestinians extend a formal, explicit recognition to Israel’s right to exist. “These are, however, theoretical arguments,” Hussein said. “What we are offering is the most important thing: the end to the state of belligerency. It is a chance which should not be allowed to slip by.”
“The ball is now in the field of the international community and Israel,” the Jordanian king said. “We (the Arabs) are prepared to cooperate with all the countries in the world.” Hussein stressed that the American plan “contains many positive items” and underlined his decision to continue discussions and negotiations with Washington on this basis.
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