Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger expressed the view today that “perhaps” the momentum can be resumed toward progress in Middle East peace negotiations in light of Israel’s announced move to thin out its, forces in Sinai, President Ford’s just concluded talks with President Anwar Sadat of Egypt and Ford’s talks next week with Israeli Premier Yitzhak Rabin in Washington.
Kissinger made his remarks at a press conference in Salzburg, Austria, immediately following the conclusion of two days of talks between Ford and Sadat. The press conference was viewed by reporters here via television monitors at the State Department.
Kissinger stressed that “no final conclusions” were reached during the five separate Ford-Sadat meetings over a period of 30 hours and that “no dramatic announcements could be made since the decisions involved many other parties.” He described the Ford-Sadat talks as “very constructive” but emphasized that they “were not intended to reach any precise conclusions for an immediate negotiation.”
He said the talks “provide the basis for useful talks with the Israelis” but that “we didn’t discuss details of a final settlement.” He also said “We have not taken an American position on an overall settlement…We are not pushing any one approach. As the President and I have stated repeatedly, we are prepared to go to a Geneva conference. But whatever approach is promising, we will pursue it…no avenue will be excluded,” the Secretary said.
WAITING FOR TALKS WITH ISRAELIS
He said, “The U.S. will not commit itself until the meeting with the Israelis,” and that the Egyptian side did not preclude any approach. He indicated that no Egyptian proposal would be put before Israel when Ford meets with Rabin. Kissinger also said that there was “no question” that the Geneva conference will have to be reinstated, but “we have to reserve judgement until we’ve had other discussions.”
Kissinger said the purpose of the Ford-Sadat talks was not for the two heads of state to get into detailed negotiations for an agreement between Israel and Egypt or an overall peace settlement. The intention was to permit the two leaders the opportunity to explore the roads to peace, he said. He said that “perhaps there will be an American suggestion” after Ford’s talks with Rabin.
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.
