Kissinger’s Last Tangle in Damascus?

Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger, in a sudden change of plan, left Israel today for Syria for what he called a final effort to wrap up a Syrian-Israeli disengagement accord. Originally, Kissinger had said that Under-Secretary of State Joseph Sisco would go back to Syria with the latest Israeli proposals reached at a five-hour meeting of the Israeli Cabinet; Kissinger announced the change of plan after talking for more than two hours with Premier Golda Meir, Foreign Minister Abba Eban and Defense Minister Moshe Dayan on the results of the Cabinet meeting.

In announcing that he, rather than Sisco, would make the latest visit to Damascus, Kissinger declined to speculate on his chances of achieving an agreement during his 13th shuttle. No reason could be learned for the switch, Kissinger remarking only that since he had brought each previous Israeli decision to Damascus “I should do the final lap myself.” He said he planned to be back in Jerusalem tonight.

The Cabinet was scheduled to meet once again tonight for another special session, following Kissinger’s return from Damascus. Information Minister Shimon Peres said “a decision will come tonight, or tomorrow morning, one way or another.” Peres also said the Cabinet session dealt with “all the subjects” involved in the disengagement negotiations and not just with one specific problem.

The principal remaining obstacle appeared to involve Syria’s refusal to accept Israel’s demand that Syria undertake to prevent terrorist incursions across the disengagement line. At a special session last Sunday, the Cabinet had decided unanimously that this demand could not be withdrawn or compromised.

TERRORIST ISSUE IS FUNDAMENTAL

It was reported that the Cabinet had conveyed to Kissinger the Israeli view that an agreement without an express commitment by Syria against terrorist incursions would leave the way open for Syria to pursue its war of attrition against Israeli targets through use of “irregular” Palestinian forces. Without such a Syrian commitment, incursions by “irregulars” would not be considered violations of a disengagement accord while Israeli retaliation-against Syrian territory-would be, a situation Israel feels must be avoided at all costs.

Other unresolved issues, it was reported, concern the proposed buffer zone and the limited forces zone required to separate the contending forces. Syria has resisted Israeli demands for a large United Nations force and Israel reportedly had decided to accept a UN force of less than 1500 men, as against its original goal of 3000 to 4000 men, considered here a major Israeli concession.

However, Israel was reported balking at Syrian demands that the proposed tone between the opposing forces be narrowed from the originally suggested one-and-a-half to three-and-a-half mile strip proposed by the American negotiating team as a compromise. For Israel, a zone of maximum width in the narrow space confines of the Golan Heights was viewed as important for protection against terrorist incursions. A substantial UN force also was considered important for that reason.

American negotiators said last night, when Kissinger returned from more than 16 hours of talks in Damascus with Syrian President Assad, that a text had been prepared, with blanks left for unresolved issues. The officials said the remaining Questions were “very tough ones.” Although Kissinger and his officials have consistently warned about last minute difficulties, it was evident that when Kissinger left Sunday for what he said would be his final visit of this mission to Damascus, he was confident of completing an agreement. That optimism seemed reflected in a speech he made Sunday at a luncheon given him by Premier Meir in Jerusalem.

KISSINGER: CURRENT MISSION MOST REWARDING

Kissinger said that the four weeks of his current mission were, “with all their difficulties.” the “most rewarding and sometimes the most emotional in our lives. One is not often given the opportunity to change the course of events in history and there is no area in this world which needs so much a change in events and there is no people which deserves more than your people to be able to live in peace.” He also said “Israel is testimony to the fact that the dreams in history can become reality. To see your country is proof that there is still hope in this world.”

Premier Meir responded that Kissinger had taught “us that it is not enough to be right and to be convinced that we are right. In order to be able to live with others in this area, we must at least try to understand our neighbors.”