Mrs. Meir Says Certain Questions Remained Unanswered During Talks in U.S.

Premier Golda Meir indicated on her return from Washington today that certain questions remained unanswered on both sides during her three days of talks with President Nixon, Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger and other U.S. officials. She said she could not answer reporters substantive questions before reporting to the Cabinet. Mrs. Meir, who landed at Lod Airport at noon, nevertheless made a statement to newsmen. She said that she and her aides held long and intensive talks in Washington to clarify on what subjects the U.S. and Israel take a com- mon approach and on which their approaches differ. “I must say that we were given full possibility, during long hours, to discuss all we had to discuss,” she said. The Premier added that the replies she got and the questions that were asked–“some without reply on our part and some without reply on the Americans part”–will be brought to the Cabinet for discussion and decision. She will address a special session of the Knesset Wednesday.

The 75-year-old Premier, wearing a blue suit and looking surprisingly fit after her almost continuous round of meetings in the U.S. and the long flight home, was greeted at the airport by Cabinet ministers, Knesset members, U.S. Ambassador Kenneth Keating and members of her family. Airport workers and spectators applauded as she descended from an El Al jet and walked on a red carpet to the airport terminal.

Mrs. Meir had very warm words for American Jews. “While in Washington, hundreds of Jews, community leaders, came over and I told them that while during difficult days and nights I could hold myself together when seeing that electric spark that passed through me from these Jews to Israel.” she said. “Such love, devotion, identity, all that we wanted and hoped for to prevail between the Jewish people and Israel came true. And with such an Israeli Army and such an ‘army’ of the Jewish people, we shall somehow overcome if times will be difficult.”

NO DOUBT ABOUT U.S. FRIENDSHIP

(Before her departure from Washington late yesterday, Mrs. Meir said: “I left the White House with the conviction that the friendship between the United States and Israel remained as it was and we have no doubt about that.” Kissinger, she also said, “spent hours in trying to find on what points we agreed and on what points we–I hope temporarily–disagreed. These talks were held in a spirit of great friendship. More time and more patience I don’t think anyone can expect from any government.” The Israeli leader indicated that the exchange of prisoners had top priority in her talks with the President and Kissinger, saying she raised the issue with them “in every single conversation.”)