Secretary of State Edmund Muskie declined to speculate today on whether the Egyptian-Israeli meeting in New York or the meetings to follow in Washington this week will result in a resumption of trilateral discussions on West Bank-Gaza Strip autonomy.
Egyptian Minister of State Butros Ghali brought to Egyptian Foreign Minister Kamal Hassan Ali a copy of the latest Egyptian position on conditions for resumption of the talks. Ghali come from Cairo to New York to see Ali who is in the United States for medical treatment. Israeli Foreign Minister Yitzhak Shamir was to see Ghali in New York and then come to Washington to meet Muskie.
“I hope the bilateral talks,” Muskie said, “will lead to trilateral discussions and reopening of negotiations somewhat later.” He said “It would not be particularly helpful to identify” whether the talks in Washington or New York will lead to Israeli-Egyptian-American discussions.
Muskie was asked about a Saudi Arabian report that the Carter Administration had authorized a study by an American research organization, the Rand Corporation, on the security implications of Israel’s possession of the West Bank. The report indicated that Israel’s security would not be affected if Israel yielded the West Bank to Arab control.
“I am not aware of the report,” Muskie said, but “that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.” State Department sources later said they were seeking to obtain information about the alleged report.
Muskie was also asked about his view of comments by American officials who are saying privately that internationalization of Jerusalem is for a bad idea. The Secretary responded, “Our policy is not to characterize the ultimate decision” regarding Jerusalem “beyond saying our position is supportive of an undivided Jerusalem open to all religions. For us to go beyond that formulation at this point would have the effect, or be perceived of having the effect, of undertaking to prejudge the outcome of the negotiations.”
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