Joseph J. Sisco, Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs, told 89 Jewish newsmen yesterday that the Soviet Union “wants to put the lid on” the possibility of hostilities in the Middle East “because it does not want a confrontation with the United States.” There is “no understanding” between the two superpowers, he stated, adding: “It is more implicit than explicit.”
Sisco, referring to Secretary of State William P. Rogers’ Dec. 9, 1969 view of insubstantial changes of Israel’s borders, told the newsmen that this was a flexible formula subject to negotiations between the parties and not a hard-and-fast determination that the borders must “be here rather than there.”
The changes must, Sisco affirmed, be in line with Security Council Resolution 242 which stipulates secure and recognized boundaries. He further affirmed that the US government continues to reject the Soviet and Arab view that the Security Council resolution calls for withdrawal from all territories.
Sisco added that the “kind of presence east of the Suez Canal” was the most difficult problem among the six “difficult areas” defined by Rogers as dividing Israel and Egypt under the American initiative for reaching an interim agreement. On Oct. 4, Rogers told the UN General Assembly that there was a possibility of a “compromise” on the question of “an Egyptian military presence east of the canal.” Israel rejected this possibility.
QUIET DIPLOMACY TO AID SYRIA’S JEWS
Turning to the question of a peace treaty between Israel and Jordan, Sisco said the prospects were “rather distant” because Jordan believes any initiative for peace with Israel must come from Egypt. He also said Israel was “thoroughly satisfied” with the military balance in the area.
Asked why the US voted for the recent Security Council resolution condemning Israel for its raids into Lebanon but not condemning the terrorist activities that precipitated the retaliation, Sisco replied that the US was the only country to advocate a “reference to the provocation as well as the reaction” but that it could not muster sufficient votes for it. “This makes it look like the United States joined in a one-sided resolution,” he concluded.
Responding to questions on Syria’s 4000 Jews, Sisco said the US “is trying quietly through diplomatic channels” to help alleviate their situation. He added that he believed the Syrian leadership is “interested in ending its self-exclusion” from Mideast negotiations. In this connection, he mentioned that Syria has made, for the first time, “interesting references” to Resolution 242. Sisco did not elaborate. There have been reports that Syria may be edging toward accepting the Security Council resolution which it, thus far, has not accepted.
TALKS SET ON NEW HOUSING LOAN
Stanley Baruch, director of the Office of Housing of the US Agency for International Development, told the newsmen that President Nixon and AID director Dr. John A. Hannah have “already provided encouragement” to Israeli Finance Minister Pinhas Sapir’s request for a second loan for housing. The US in February guaranteed private loans totaling $50 million to finance the construction of housing for lower-middle-income families in Israel, including immigrants from the Soviet Union and elsewhere. Baruch will meet Sapir in Israel in April to negotiate the second loan.
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