Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger and Israeli leaders plunged into an intensive round of talks today to find a basis for a second-stage agreement in Sinai acceptable to both Israel and Egypt. Efraim Evron, deputy director general of the Foreign Ministry said at the end of the third working session this evening that the talks were “cordial and friendly” but that “no decisions were taken and none were necessary.”
He added, “Now we are waiting for the talks on Thursday,” a reference to the meetings that will take place here when Secretary Kissinger returns from Cairo with Egypt’s response to Israel’s latest views. Kissinger and the Israeli leaders conferred for seven hours today.
Evron would not say whether or not Israel’s position has changed since Foreign Minister Yigal Allon’s visit to Washington last month, nor would he say whether maps were used during today’s talks with Kissinger. He stressed that all the participants “know the area thoroughly.” State Department spokesman Robert Anderson added little to what the Israeli official said. He stressed the “exploratory nature of this trip,” said “a very full review of Israel’s position” was obtained at today’s talks, and that Kissinger would seek a similar review with Egyptian President Anwar Sadat in Cairo tomorrow.
Anderson emphasized that “this was not a negotiating session, the aim was to have a clear view of the two sides’ positions.” He confirmed that Kissinger would return to the region, “probably in March” and disclosed that the Secretary had brought an oral message from President Ford to Premier Yitzhak Rabin but he refused to divulge its contents.
The talks with Kissinger opened last night with a working dinner at the Premier’s residence. One of the Israeli participants told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that only a small part of the discussion had been devoted to the nature of a settlement and that both Kissinger and Rabin had limited themselves to general “strategic reviews” of recent developments and future options.
Israeli sources confirmed that “one of the issues on the agenda” in the current talks was the connection between a partial settlement that Israel may reach with Egypt now and future overall peace negotiations at Geneva later in the year. Israel is concerned that any concessions it may make in the interests of a partial settlement would be vitiated at the Geneva conclave. What Israel seeks in affect is assurances that whatever political concessions Egypt offers now in return for territorial concessions by Israel will not be withdrawn at Geneva.
Allon, emerging from this morning’s meeting told reporters that the “practical talks” had now begun in earnest and would continue through the day. A high official of the American party, briefing U.S. correspondents today, said that Kissinger already had some idea of how a partial settlement would look. He was not certain that his idea would be acceptable, but he was clearly hopeful that it would be, the official said.
One further working session is scheduled for tomorrow morning before Kissinger flies to Egypt. His schedule calls for him to leave Egypt Thursday and fly to Syria before returning to Israel for additional talks that will continue Friday morning. Kissinger was expected to call on former Premier Golda Meir at her Tel Aviv home before leaving Israel Friday for Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
