Israel’s rejection amounts to a veto of the Waldheim proposal which was widely believed to have been approved in advance by both Washington and Moscow. But the President’s views today indicated he does not favor it. (See related story from UN.)
FROM JERUSALEM TO CAIRO TO GENEVA
Saying the U.S. looks on the Cairo meeting as “a very constructive step,” Carter added, “the road toward peace which has already led through Jerusalem will now go through Cairo and ultimately we believe to a comprehensive consultation at Geneva.”
Praising Sadat’s and Israeli Premier Menachem Begin’s “true leadership qualities, “the President indicated that while he and they think a separate Israeli-Egyptian peace “is not desirable,” it could evolve if no other way for settlement showed promise of success. He observed that the U.S. and Israel, the only governments now going to Cairo, and Egypt have said privately and publicly that they have “the very viable hope that a comprehensive settlement can be reached among all the parties involved.”
But, Carter added, “If at some later date it becomes obvious” that Jordan, Syria or Lebanon do “not want peace in a settlement with Israel, then an alternative might have to be pursued. But we certainly have not reached that point yet.”
Carter noted, “Obviously the leaders in Syria even Jordan, certainly the PLO, have not recognized that Egypt is speaking for them adequately.” But Sadat in his speech to the Knesset “evoked very clearly the basic Arab position that I have understood in my private conversations” with Syrian President Hafez Assad and King Hussein of Jordan, Carter said.
U.S. ENCOURAGING OTHER ARAB NATIONS
The refusal of Jordan and Syria to go to Cairo Carter said, has not “dampened Sadat’s commitment or enthusiasm at all.” He said that “to the best of his ability President Sadat is speaking for the Arab world.”
Carter said that “at the time we discovered” Sadat was going to visit Jerusalem; “we immediately began to use whatever influence we had available to us to encourage the other nations not to condemn President Sadat. This particularly applied to Saudi Arabia, to Jordan, to the European countries, to the Soviet Union and to Syria. In some instances, either they decided not to condemn him or our influence was successful.”
Saying that Begin and Sadat “have not rejected the concept that there must be a comprehensive settlement,” the President noted that “in the meantime we don’t see anything wrong; in fact, we look with great favor on the bilateral negotiations between Israel and Egypt. In the meantime, we are trying to induce the Syrians, the Lebanese, the Jordanians and as I say again, in a supportive role the Saudis and others, to support both the ongoing negotiations that will continue from Jerusalem into Cairo and also to avoid any condemnation of Sadat that might disrupt his influence and put an obstacle to peace in the future.”
“That is about all we can do,” he continued. “We have no control over any nation in the Middle East. When we find the progress in the Middle East being stopped, we use all the initiatives that we can. When we see progress being mode by the parties themselves, we support them to move on their own. It is much more important to have direct negotiations between Egypt and Israel than to have us acting as a constant intermediary. I think this is a major step in the right direction. We hope later that Jordan and Syria and Lebanon will join in these discussions either individually or as a comprehensive group dealing with Israel directly.”
REACTION TO SOVIET UNION
About the Soviet Union, which has been hostile toward the Sadat initiative and is cooperating with anti-Cairo Arab governments and the PLO, the President said he wished the Soviets had decided to go to Cairo, “but we will make as much progress as we can, following the leadership of Sadat and Begin.” Carter added his “belief” that the “desire of the whole world is so great for peace in the Middle East that the Soviets will follow along and take advantage of any constructive steps toward peace.”
Alluding to the Soviet-American Mideast statement of Oct. I. Carter said, “we did not bring the Soviets” into the Middle East, noting, “they have been in since the very initiation of a Geneva conference.” But he added that while the U.S. “is uniquely trusted by all the parties involved to act fairly and consistently concerning the Middle East question, I don’t believe the Soviets occupy that position.”
The President added: “I don’t have any doubt that if the nations surrounding Israel can work out an individual peace settlement with Israel leading to peace treaties that the Soviets will play a constructive role certainly at that point. It would be contrary to their own interest to be identified as an obstacle to peace.”
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