Secretary of State George Shultz said today that his talks last week with Israeli Premier Yitzhak Shamir and Lebanese President Amin Gemayel resulted in an “improved basis for working toward the objectives we are seeking” in Lebanon.
Shultz, responding to reporters questions at a news conference in the State Department, said that the talks with the Israelis were “helpful to us” and would lead to “concrete steps” in the aim of helping Lebanon regain control of its territory. But he was not specific on what these steps are.
Shultz stressed that the security of Israel is an important element in the stability of the Jewish State. He said among the discussions with the Israelis was the “very substantial” Soviet military build-up in Syria and how this should be dealt with.
The Secretary noted that Donald Rumsfeld, President Reagan’s special envoy for the Middle East, will be leaving Washington tomorrow to return to the Mideast to further the progress that has been made in the talks in Washington last week.
Shultz stressed that yesterday’s U.S. air attack on Syrian targets in Lebanon was not an escalation of force by the U.S. or a message to the Syrians aimed at convincing them to pull their forces out of Lebanon. He said the air attack took place after U.S. reconnaissance planes were fired upon “very heavily” by those who knew the planes were U.S. reconnaissance planes.
“We’re there in a peacekeeping role,” Shultz stressed. He said the U.S. military in Lebanon returns fire only when fired upon, and by targeting the source of the fire not any particular country or group.
Shultz stressed that the U.S. “intends to see it through” in Lebanon. He said the marines are there to support U.S. policy in the Mideast and to help Lebanon reestablish its sovereignty and gain control over its territory, the first of which, he noted will be the territory, which is not occupied by any foreign forces.
Shultz emphasized that the marines are in Lebanon “on our decision, not Israel’s.” He asserted that he believes the American people will support keeping the marines there because they “want to see peace and stability in the Middle East.”
In a brief comment on the Israeli-U.S. political military joint group, Shultz said it will try to “systematically” keep track of the various matters that are discussed during the meetings between the Israelis and the Americans. The group’s first meeting will be in January.
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