Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher reaffirmed their support Monday for an international conference for Middle East peace.
The two leaders met for 80 minutes Monday, their third meeting this year, and said an international conference was the best prospect to advance the Mideast peace process.
Their statement confirmed that Peres has Thatcher’s support in his differences with Premier Yitzhak Shamir, who opposes the conference scenario. Peres also hopes that the British leader will be able to convince President Reagan to support the idea, and possibly even the Soviets.
An interview in The Times of London Tuesday quoted Peres as saying, “I think that Mrs. Thatcher is well placed, because there is respect for her in Jordan and her views are very much respected in Washington and in Moscow.”
Peres met with Foreign Secretary Sir Geoffrey Howe Tuesday. In the morning, addressing a packed meeting of Jewish fund-raisers, he spelled out what he thought Israel should achieve over the next 40 years.
“Instead of winning wars, we must win the peace. Instead of standing against the Arabs, we must convince them to face their problems in cooperation with us.
“Israel must stress the spiritual and intellectual aspects of its life and return to its historical tradition: never to submit to others, but also not to master others,” Peres said.
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