Reagan to Move Ahead with His Initiative Despite Hussein’s Decision

President Reagan reaffirmed today his intention to move ahead with his September 1 Middle East peace initiative despite the decision by King Hussein of Jordan to drop his efforts to negotiate with Israel on behalf of the Palestinians.

Denouncing what he termed “radical element.” for putting a snag in his initiative, Reagan said, “We will not let the forces of violence and terror exercise a veto over the peace process.” Reagan made his remarks during a White House welcoming ceremony for the Sultan of Oman, Qaboos Bin.

Asked specifically if the Jordanian decision brings his peace initiative to an abrupt halt, Reagan replied, “It is not dead.” He called on “the Palestinian leadership” to make “a bold and courageous move” to break the Middle East impasse.

His comments today were the first since telling reporters last Sunday that Hussein’s decision “would impede” the U.S. efforts to bring about a Mideast peace settlement. Reagan asserted today, however, that there “may be bumps along the way,” but the U.S. “will not be deterred from our long-term objectives.”

Earlier, a White House spokesman said Reagan had telephoned President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt last night to review the Middle East situation. The spokesman would not provide details of the conversation with the Egyptian leader. It was the fourth call Reagan has made to an Arab leader since Sunday. He has also spoken with Hussein, King Hassan of Morocco and King Fahd of Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, the spokesman for the Israel Cabinet, Dan Meridor, today urged the Reagan Administration to return to the Camp David process “and ask King Hussein to come along without the extremists,” an apparent reference to the PLO. Speaking on the NBC-TV “Today” program, Meridor said “the worst thing to do is to ask the PLO to participate.”