No Terms of Disengagement with Syria Reached by Cabinet

The Cabinet met today without reaching any decision on terms of disengagement with Syria. Cabinet sources indicated that discussions with Secretary of State Henry A, Kissinger were still in a fluid stage, that several options remain open for re-discussion and negotiation and that the Cabinet expects to meet several more times while Kissinger is in the region.

Kissinger, who is in Amman. Jordan today, is expected back in Jerusalem tomorrow. Apparently he will study a report of today’s Cabinet session before going on to Damascus for a second round of talks with Syrian leaders. The Cabinet had before it today Kissinger’s report on his seven hours of discussion in Damascus Friday and Saturday and the report of the ministerial negotiating team that met with the Secretary of State at Premier Golda Meir’s office for more than two hours this morning before his departure for Amman.

A Cabinet communique issued late today said only: “A report was presented on the talks and the negotiations conducted with the U.S. Secretary of State and his aides concerning a separation of forces agreement with Syria. The Cabinet held a discussion on the subject.”

The government appears to be reserving any decision on substantive items involved in disengagement, particularly territorial issues until Kissinger holds further talks with the Syrians. The emphasis here is that no final resolution has been reached yet on any of the points discussed with Kissinger. Sources here described the latest talks with Kissinger as very broad and inclusive of topics not directly related to disengagement such as U.S. Israeli relations. They said that everything was still in a phase of “clarification” and there were no indications how long Kissinger will remain in the region.

NOT SURE AN ACCORD CAN BE REACHED

U.S. officials accompanying the Secretary of State said the preliminary shape of any agreement was not likely to emerge before Wednesday, after Kissinger’s second round of talks in Damascus and further meetings with Israeli leaders. They hinted that Kissinger himself was not sure an agreement could be reached by the end of this week and it was possible that he would return to Washington at that time to allow both sides time to reconsider their position.

Information Minister Shimon Peres who participated in today’s meeting with Kissinger, told newsmen afterwards that he didn’t know how long the present round of talks would continue “I don’t think we should be in such a hurry because we are dealing with a very complex situation.” he said. He observed that like in all such negotiations, there was a “real gulf” between the sides “and we are looking for ways and means to overcome them.”