Role of Big Powers in Mideast to Be Priority Item in Carter-giscard Talks

The Middle East and America’s own plans for the region will figure prominently on the agenda of the talks between President Carter and France’s President Valery Giscard d’Estaing. Carter is due to arrive here tomorrow for a three-day official visit.

Giscard singled out today the Middle East as one of the main world issue which he will discuss with Carter. He told a foreign press delegation who had called on him to extend New Year’s greetings that the situation in the Mideast warrants “a thorough discussion.”

French official’s later explained that Giscard intends to review the role to be played by the big powers, including the Soviet Union, in guaranteeing a peace agreement in the Mideast. France believes that the Soviet Union should participate in any such agreement. The French government also believes Western Europe, and especially France, can play an active role in guaranteeing a peace agreement either by supplying a truce fence to be stationed in the demilitarized zones for by giving political guarantees.

SEEKS ROLE FOR FRANCE

French officials make it clear that France hopes to use Carter’s visit in order to reather the field of diplomatic talks on the Mideast. The French, who stress that their country is America’s older ally and often refer to Lafayette, openly resent the ever increasing role played by Britain to the search for a Mideast solution. French officials point to the recent improvement in France-Israeli relations as opening new visitors for a French interest in the area. These officials believes that Israel and even America could use France’s good relations with the Arab states, including Syria and Egypt.

France, which is one of the world’s largest arms supplier to the area, also believes it could take part in a reduction of all areas shipments to the region. Giscard, in a recent television interview, made such a suggestion and French officials here say that France is prepared to reduce its arms sales as part of a global plan which should cover American and Soviet arms sales as well.

FRANCE-ISRAELI TIES STRESSED

Speaking informally to the press delegation here today, Giscard stressed France’s desire to improve relations with Israel but ruled out an official visit here by Israeli Premier Menachem Begin before France’s forthcoming elections next March-Giscard added that Begin would be welcomed any time he may want to come in the meantime in an informal capacity.

France invited early last year the then Israeli Premier, Yitzhak Rabin, to pay an official visit to France and reiterated this invitation after Begin’s election. Last autumn, Giscard sent to Israel a special representative, former Premier Jacques Chaban-Delmas, to personally renew the invitation extended to Begin.

First diplomatic difficulties and, more recently, the intensive talks with Egypt have caused Begin to postpone his trip. It seems that it will now take place only after the forthcoming elections here, probably next May or June after a new French government is voted into power.

Carter will arrive in Paris directly from Aswan Egypt where he is scheduled to hold a 75-minute meeting with Egyptian President Anwar Sadat. The two are expected to concentrate on means of resolving the Palestinian issue.

Today, Carter arrived in Saudi Arabia, where King Khalid greeted him by saying “I thank you for your efforts to find a just and lasting solution for the problems of the Middle East.” Carter said the main purpose of his trip was finding peace, stressing that “our most important subject . . . is the early achievement of a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.” He told the Saudi monarch that “I feel that I am among my own people and know that my steps will not (be) hindered because I walk the same path as you.”