Three leading members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said today they expected “positive” and “concrete” results would emanate from the Middle East summit at Camp David next month.
Senators Frank Church (D. Id.), Richard Stone (D.Fla.), and Charles Percy (R.III.) commented to reporters after hearing Secretary of State Cyrus Vance describe his recent discussions with Israeli Premier Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat.
The Senators based their optimism, without much elaboration, on their talks with Vance and the support for the summit made by leaders of Saudi Arabia and Jordon. Vance, talking with reporters after his two-hour closed-door session with the Senate committee, cautioned against speculation on the summit’s possible results.
“I believe very strongly we must not engage in extensive speculation, “he said. Vance reiterated that the U.S. has “no peace plan” but would present suggestions during the course of negotiations were they to run into obstacles. He stressed that Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Fahd and Jordan’s King Hussein approved of the summit.
Vance refused to discuss the reported Egyptian military buildup as some form of showdown when Egypt’s three-year second Sinai agreement expires October. President Carter has said that the arms buildup prompted his call for the summit. Vance’s silence today was seen as indicating that the U.S. would like to have that point removed from public view.
REASONS TO BE HOPEFUL
Percy reinforced this attitude by saying that there is “no potential” for war. Church, referring to the summit, said “there are reasons to be at least hopeful. This is not just a gesture or a desperate move. It amounts to a good deal more.” He added that Egypt and Israel are not “so for apart on a peace agreement” and felt that Begin is prepared “to make some gestures.” He did not elaborate.
Stone noted that at Vance’s previous meeting with the Senate committee a number of Senators had expressed concern over Saudi Arabia’s failure to make a positive impact on the peace process. He praised Vance’s recent efforts, saying that the Secretary and State Deportment should get “high marks” for convincing Saudi Arabia and Jordan to support the summit. Percy said he hoped that Hussein “could not only support but become a participant” in the summit talks.
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