State Department Contends Violations Be Rectified Prior to Peace Talks

The United States position continues to be that rectification of Egyptian-Soviet violations of the Suez cease-fire must take place before indirect Arab-Israeli peace talks can resume under the auspices of United Nations envoy Gunnar V. Jarring, a State Department official said today. “That is our position,” Department spokesman John King declared when questioned at today’s news briefing. Mr. King’s remarks contradicted a growing feeling here that the U.S. was backing down on its demand for rectification of the violations. That feeling arose from the fact that rectification was not mentioned by President Nixon in his talks with Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko or by Secretary of State William P. Rogers in his talks with Egyptian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Riad last week. Mr. King said that the U.S. entertained no doubts that truce violations had occurred. He confirmed a statement by Israel’s chief of intelligence. Gen. Aharon Yariv, in Tel Aviv earlier today that the Egyptians had violated a proviso that strictly prohibited either side from improving its anti-aircraft missile strength within a 32-mile stretch on either side of the Suez Canal. A State Department source said the proviso referred to by Gen. Yariv came from a supplementary statement attached to paragraph “C” of the Aug. 7 cease-fire agreement which contained “additional clarifications and definitions of terms” that the U.S. provided to Egypt and Israel.

The source said these clarifications and additions were not given as part of the agreement but afterwards. However the source could not immediately say whether they were presented prior to the start of the cease-fire or whether both countries had accepted them formally. The source could also not say whether Jordan and the Soviet Union were given copies. The source denied that the language of the proviso was drafted by Israel. “The peace initiative was our own and we’ll take credit for the additions too.” he said. Mr. King refused to confirm Gen. Yariv’s assertion that there were 40-50 missiles deployed in the truce zone, about a third of them SAM-3s manned by about 3000 Soviet personnel. He refused to discuss whether information gathered by U.S. photo reconnaissance coincided with the information disclosed by Gen. Yariv. Asked about Egypt’s reported proposal to extend the cease-fire for an additional two months beyond its Nov. 5 expiration date, Mr. King referred to Secretary Rogers’ statement at the UN that there was “a consensus” that the cease-fire should continue in effect. As for the length of time–two or three months–“no commitment was undertaken nor did we ask for any,” he said.