Rabin Says Absence of Direct Israel, Egypt Contact Contributed to Failure of Recent Negotiations

Premier Yitzhak Rabin attributes the failure of the bilateral talks with Egypt conducted by Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger in large measure to the absence of direct contact between Israeli and Egyptian negotiators. Speaking on the Armed Forces Radio Station today, Rabin said that absence was “sorely felt” and was responsible for “misunderstandings” that occurred during the talks.

“The reasons for the misunderstandings lie mainly in the absence of direct Israeli-Egyptian contact. All through the negotiations we sought clarifications and sought direct contact, but this was rejected by Egypt,” Rabin said. He said that Israel was not responsible for the suspension of the talks and still seeks to make progress toward peace “whether by way of an overall agreement at a reconvened Geneva conference or by way of an interim agreement with Egypt.”

NOT DISTURBED BY U.S. REASSESSMENT

Rabin said in his radio interview that Israel was not disturbed by the current American reappraisal of its Middle Eastern policy in the aftermath of the breakdown of Kissinger’s negotiating efforts. “It is my belief that the U.S., when it holds a considered discussion on the reality that has come about, will respect the fact that her friend in the Middle East is independent both in its decisions and in its readiness to bear the consequences of these decisions,” Rabin said.

He noted that there have been differences of opinion between Israel and the U.S. in the past and said he was confident that the “basis of friendship, understanding and common interests between our two countries remains firm and will make it possible to come through the present differences that perhaps exist in the present time.”

NO COMMENT ON EGYPT’S CALL FOR PARLEY

Meanwhile, there was still no official comment here on Egypt’s formal request to reconvene the Geneva conference. The request was conveyed yesterday by Egyptian Foreign Minister Ismail Fahmy to U.S. Ambassador Hermann Eilts and Soviet Ambassador Vladimir Polyakov in Cairo. The U.S. and the Soviet Union are co-chairmen of the Geneva conference. Fahmy told reporters that Egypt would welcome the attendance of Britain, France and any non-aligned nations at the conference to prevent its polarization and stalemate. He said that President Anwar Sadat was in contact with a number of heads of state over reconvening the Geneva talks.

The official Middle East News Agency reported in Cairo yesterday that after meeting with Fahmy the Soviet Ambassador cabled representatives of the Palestine Liberation Organization. The contents of the cable were not disclosed but they are believed to relate to the Geneva conference.