Role of Big Four in Mideast Defined As ‘complementary’, ‘supportive’

A State Department spokesman defined the Big Four role in the Middle East today as “complementary” and “supportive” but stressed that it was not empowered by the United Nations to be a party to negotiations. The question arose at a news briefing when Department spokesman Robert J. McCloskey was asked about tomorrow’s Four Power meeting at which the United States, Soviet Union, Britain and France are expected to begin discussion of Big Power guarantees of an eventual Mideast peace settlement. McCloskey said these talks were “preliminary in nature and not the kind to go out in front of negotiations on principal issues.” He stressed that the Four Powers would “have no role until an agreement is reached” between the disputing parties. But McCloskey said the Four Powers were trying to conduct “sensible diplomacy” for the benefit of the parties concerned to help them toward an agreement. He said the U.S. and the other major Powers “can’t negotiate” for the parties. He said the U.S. was “willing to play a role behind the scenes” that would be jeopardized “by asserting ourselves publicly.” He said the disputing parties also jeopardized their positions by public assertions.