No Progress in Latest Round of Autonomy Talks

The Israeli and Egyptian working groups concluded three days of deliberations on autonomy today with no apparent progress to report. The negotiators, meeting in Tel Aviv, made no attempt to deal with basic issues but devoted their time to an effort to categorize the various powers inherent in the autonomy scheme.

It was announced, meanwhile, that the chief negotiators of Israel, Egypt and the U.S. will meet in The Hague next week instead of London. The London venue was announced when Israeli Interior Minister Yosef Burg, Prime Minister Mustapha Khalil and President Carter’s special Ambassador, Sol Linowitz, met earlier this month at Herzliya. British sources were quoted as saying the Israelis ruled out London as an expression of displeasure over Foreign Secretary Lord Carrington’s latest Middle East initiative. Israeli officials denied this and said the reasons for the changed were technical. They confirmed, however, that Israel refused to go to Paris, which was also under consideration, because of the French government’s negative attitude toward the Israeli-Egyptian peace process.

During their meetings in Tel Aviv this week the working groups attempted to classify the autonomy powers into three categories — those that would be transferred to the projected administrative council, those that would remain with the Israeli Military Government and those to be shared by Israelis and Palestinians. The delegations did not discuss any controversial issues such as the legal status of the land on the West Bank, control of water resources or legislative powers for the administrative council. Nevertheless, Israeli spokesman Dan Pattir said the practical, business like approach by the parties was in itself “an achievement.”