Reagan Tells Ajpa Convention He Will Continue Mideast Peace Process

President Reagan re-affirmed his Administration’s commitment to Israel and pledged that the U.S. would continue the peace process in the Middle East during a 10-minute telephone press conference with American Jewish journalists at the 41st annual convention of the American Jewish Press Association (AJPA) here last week.

The President, speaking from the White House, said he was optimistic that pressure from moderate Arab states would persuade Syria to withdraw its forces from Lebanon so that the recently signed Israel-Lebanon agreement can be implemented. But he said he was “very concerned ” about the build-up of Soviet arms and advisors in Syria. “I am committed to maintaining the (Israel’s) qualitative edge in the military balance of power” in the area, he said.

Reagan told the AJPA delegates from all over the U.S. that “We are going to continue (with the peace negotiations) because I think the most effective thing we can have is if Syria feels it will be isolated from its Arab neighbors if it doesn’t” withdraw from Lebanon. He said that “In addition to the Lebanon-Israel withdrawal agreement, we are continuing our efforts in the peace process by encouraging other Arab nations to negotiate with Israel.”

The President, whose September I peace initiative in the Middle East called for a freeze on Israeli settlement activity on the West Bank, told the Jewish journalists that while he thought the continued development of settlements in the territory would not be “exactly tactful or … cooperative” at this politically sensitive time, the settlements themselves present no real barrier to peace.

“In regard to the right of anyone to live anywhere they want to, yes, I think this would be part of …peace, ” the President said. He reaffirmed his commitment to the Camp David peace process and noted that he has invited Premier Menachem Begin to visit Washington. No date was set for the visit.