Rabin Rejects International Conference Which Would Include Ussrinnegotiations

Israeli Defense Minister Yitzhak Rabin rejected suggestions today that Israel join Jordan in an international peace conference in a quest for peace between these two Middle East states.

Instead, Rabin proposed that Jordan join Israel in direct negotiations. “To bring in the Soviet Union to serve as cochairman,” Rabin declared, “one has to be either naive or totally unaware of the Soviet policy.”

Rabin was guest speaker at a luncheon at the National Press Club, in a busy schedule which included visits to the Pentagon and to the State Department.

‘UMBRELLA’ REMINDS RABIN OF MUNICH

To have the Soviets involved in the political process, Rabin said, would lead nowhere. “Who needs the international peace conference?” Rabin declared. He said that to his knowledge the State Department has not changed its policy opposing this kind of “international umbrella.”

“Whenever someone mentions to me umbrella I don’t know why I think of Chamber lain in Munich,” Rabin said.

He said that although the peace with Egypt was a “cold peace” after 27 years as a soldier a “cold peace is better than any war.” Rabin described that the peace with Egypt still serves as the model for any peace formula in the Middle East.

NO TALKS WITH PLO

Rabin emphasized the Israeli position of not negotiating with the Palestine Liberation Organization. “Whoever agrees to talk to the PLO means that he accepts its principle of the creation of an independent Palestinian state between Israel and Jordan,” he said. He added that even the agreement between PLO chief Yasir Arafat and King Hussein of Jordan leaves that issue obscure.

Rabin said earlier in his speech that he would welcome the participation of Palestinians who are residents of the West Bank and Gaza. These are the people who will be directly affected by any negotiations, and they should have a say in their destiny, he said.