Defense Minister Ariel Sharon claimed personal credit today for the agenda agreement just concluded between Israel and Lebanon at their sixth round of talks at Kiryat Shmona this morning.
According to Sharon, all of the provisions of the agreement, announced at an official press conference held by the Israeli, Lebanese and American delegations at Kiryat Shmona, were contained in a working paper he himself had drafted in weeks of secret negotiations with unidentified Lebanese officials.
He also credited today’s “breakthrough” to the “steadfastness” of the Israeli soldiers who were prepared to endure great hardships under difficult conditions in Lebanon. “Their steadfastness enabled the politicians to reach a better agreement,” he said.
Sharon gave his version of events to reporters at a press conference he called at Kiryat Shmona at about the same time the official press conference was underway. The Defense Minister had been on an inspection tour of Israel army positions in Lebanon. He rushed to Kiryat Shmona upon receiving news that the deadlock over a negotiating agenda had been broken. (Related Story, P. I.)
SAYS ACCORD IS FIRST STEP ON ROAD TO PEACE
“The agreement on the agenda contains the main and most essential details contained in the working paper we discussed during many weeks with Lebanese government representatives,” Sharon said. He conceded that “There are also other points raised by the Lebanese, just as there are in any negotiations.” But he hailed today’s agreement as the first step on the road to a true and lasting peace in the Middle East.
Sharon was embarrassed several weeks ago when he returned from Beirut with a document he described as an agreement with the highest level Lebanese authorities, affirming Israel’s terms. The Cabinet endorsed the document, only to discover that it had not been signed by any Lebanese official.
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