See Big 4 Efforts Stepped Up with Apparent Sense of Urgency for New Initiative

The Big Four have noticeably stepped up the pace of their Mideast deliberations in what appears to diplomatic observers to be a growing urgency to come up with some new initiative to halt a rapidly deteriorating situation. The Big Four–United States, Britain, France and Soviet Russia–met yesterday for the second time since resuming their talks (last week) after a five months hiatus. They are scheduled to convene again next Tuesday.

Lord Caradon of Britain is reportedly concerned that the Arab summit conference scheduled in Rabat. Morocco, Dec.20 will destroy whatever small hope there is for Arab moderation. Lord Caradon appears to be leaning toward a Big Four stand that would mollify the Arabs, sources said. He has reportedly stressed the importance of tackling the refugee problem and also wants to take up questions of future boundaries between Israel and Jordan, Israel and Syria. The Four Power talks that began early this year and recessed last July 1, and the parallel bilateral talks between the U.S. and Soviet Russia had been devoted mainly to a settlement between Israel and Egypt.

Israel still insists that Egypt is the key to a settlement by any of the Arab states. Syria has not even nominally accepted the Security Council’s Nov. 22, 1967 Mideast resolution which, the Big Four reiterated last week, was in their view the only basis for a settlement.

Last Tuesday’s communique implied a willingness to consider secure borders between Israel and Syria as part of a package deal. It spoke of the readiness of the Four to consider specific questions concerning the implementation of the 1967 resolution “in all its aspects as a ‘package deal’ relating to the entire region of conflict in the Middle East.”

It was indicated that the Soviet Union had requested this broadening of language although Russia’s motives remained obscure. Some Western diplomats believed the Soviets are concerned over the influence of Red China in Syria and the growing strength of Arab guerrillas. Russia has not yet responded to the latest U.S. formulation of Oct. 28, one which reportedly went a long way toward meeting Egyptian demands for Israeli withdrawal from the Sinai. Some sources reported that Russia will reply during the current Four Power sessions. In Reports that the future of the Golan Heights and the West Bank were on the Big Four Agenda, elicited no official comment here. An official expressed the private opinion that the Four should steer clear of territorial details because the deeper they get into specifics, the more difficult their task of reaching an agreement will become.”