State Department Upholds Israel’s Position to Enter Negotiations with Egypt Without Prior Conditions

A State Department official today upheld Israel’s position that it is prepared to enter negotiations with Egypt without pre-conditions from either side, Robert J. McCloskey, special assistant to the Secretary of State and the Department’s chief spokesman, said “We do think that both sides have the right to enter negotiations without conditions.”

In the course of today’s news briefing, McCloskey made the State Department’s first comment on a Newsweek interview with President Anwar Sadat which he said, “on a number of important points it does not accord with our records.” He also described as “not correct” a recent claim by Sadat that Secretary of State William P. Rogers had told him at their meeting in Cairo last May that the US did not expect anything further from Egypt.

McCloskey’s remarks seemed to indicate that the US believes a foundation still exists for getting Israel and the Arab states, particularly Egypt, into negotiations for some kind of Middle East settlement. He said that neither Israel nor Egypt has ruled out negotiations though both were “disappointed” by the lack of success of American efforts so far. “It is our intention to return to the effort of negotiation after the UN debate on the Middle East. We hope Israel and Egypt will return with us.” McCloskey said.

U.S, AVAILABLE TO BOTH SIDES

Newsmen had tried without success for the last two days to get a State Department reaction to the Newsweek interview in which Sadat claimed he was misled by the US into believing it would extract further negotiating concessions from Israel. Asked for comment today, McCloskey said, “We have examined the Newsweek interview and I do not intend to comment specifically on it other than to say that on a number of important points it does not accord with our records. Whatever the reason for misunderstanding that may have occurred, what is important is that there has been no intention by the US to mislead anyone. We understand President Sadat’s disappointment that the US has not succeeded in getting Israel to agree to certain of the points which he proposed,” McCloskey continued.

“Israel is disappointed that we have not convinced the government of Egypt to accept certain points it considered fundamental. Needless to say, we share in these disappointments. It is important to look ahead. We note in the same interview that President Sadat comments that he continues to be interested in an interim agreement and said, ‘Let’s get on with it.’ For its part, the US remains available to both sides. Lastly, we also continue to favor resumption of negotiations for an overall settlement under Ambassador Jarring’s auspices.”

Asked if he was more optimistic than two weeks ago over the possibility that Israel and Egypt might agree to a State Department suggestion that their representatives meet at a New York hotel for negotiations, McCloskey replied, “That would be stretching it a bit.” He said there had been no agreement by the two parties to come into closer proximity, but on the other hand neither has ruled out the possibility. He said the chances for negotiations were “still alive.”