Ministers Express Concern over Egypt’s Coolness Toward Normalization

Some Cabinet members appeared restive today over Egypt’s apparent coolness toward the normalization of relations with Israel, a process that will culminate with the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries next month and the exchange of ambassadors in February. Suspicions were voiced at today’s Cabinet meeting that the Egyptians may once again be attempting to establish a linkage between normalization and progress in the autonomy negotiations.

These followed a briefing by Interior Minister Yosef Burg, head of the Israeli negotiating team, and Yosef Ciechanover, Director General of the Foreign Ministry, on the talks held in Cairo last week. Burg said there were still differences of opinion over two issues–the size of the projected administrative (autonomy) council on the West Bank and Gaza Strip and its powers and responsibilities. The Egyptians want a large body, somewhat in the form of a parliament while Israel insists on a Cabinet-style council with about 11 members and limited power.

Burg said that he trusted the sincere intentions of the Egyptians to effect normalization in accordance with the timetable established in the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty. “Obviously there is a psychological link between the matters (normalization and autonomy) but just like we fulfilled the provisions of the peace agreement, we have no reason to believe that the Egyptians will not do the same,” he told reporters after the Cabinet meeting.

On his return form Cairo last Friday, Eliahu Ben-Elissar, Israel’s unofficial Ambassador-designate to Egypt, told reporters that Egypt’s Foreign Minister, Butros Ghali, did indeed seem to be lacking in enthusiasm over the speedy application of normalization. However, he noted, the Egyptians could not be faulted for contravening any specific provisions of the peace treaty and its annexes. He stressed the very warm rapport he has established with top officials of President Anwar Sadat’s Office and the cordial welcome he had received in Cairo.

But skeptics in the Cabinet expressed concern today over Egypt’s proposal that it be permitted to open liaison offices on the West Bank and in Gaza during the autonomy period. They raised the possibility that such offices would be utilized to further the establishment of a Palestinian state. Egypt’s official Middle East News Agency reported in Cairo Thursday that the liaison offices were intended to be the nucleus of future Egyptian embassies in an eventual Palestinian “entity.”

Begin assured his colleagues that the Foreign Ministry would convey to Cairo Israel’s opposition to the liaison offices idea. He said that Israel would insist on the fulfillment of the letter and spirit of the peace treaty. Addressing newspaper editors Friday, Begin said he intended to take up the matter of normalization when he and Sadat hold their summit meeting in Aswan early next month.

The Cabinet rejected a proposal by Energy Minister Yitzhak Modai that it adopt resolutions on the normalization process before the Begin-Sadat meeting on January 7. Defense Minister Ezer Weizman argued that such resolutions would unnecessarily bind Begin’s hands. It was announced meanwhile that the Israeli and Egyptian “working groups” on autonomy will meet twice “for lengthy sessions” before the next ministerial level meeting at the end of January with U.S. Special Ambassador Sol Linowitz in attendance.