U.S. Hails Israel-lebanon Pact As a Positive Step Toward Peace

The Reagan Administration, obviously pleased that Israel and Lebanon signed their agreement today for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon, continued to express confidence that Syria would agree to leave too.

“We believe that this (signing) is a major achievement that proves that peace negotiations can work in the Middle East,” Nicholas Veliotes, Assistant Secretary of State for Near East and South Asian Affairs, declared in briefing reporters on the agreement.

President Reagan hailed the signing today as “a positive step toward peace in the Middle East.” Speaking to Congressional leaders at a budget meeting, Reagan also called on Syria and the Palestine Liberation Organization to “agree to withdraw as well” so that all foreign forces would be out of Lebanon and that country can regain its sovereignty and a control of its territory.

The President thanked Premier Menachem Begin of Israel and Lebanese President Amin Gemayel for the courage and statesmanship they showed in the negotiations for troop withdrawals, and he particularly thanked Secretary of State George Shultz for his efforts that led to the agreement signed today.

THE FIRST ESSENTIAL STEP

Veliotes said the agreement worked out by Shultz during his two week mission to the Middle East is “the first essential step in achieving the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Lebanon.” He said the agreement becomes officially effective when Lebanon and Israel exchange the documents of ratification.

But he stressed that it is “understood” that Israel will not begin withdrawing its troops until there is an agreement for the withdrawal of Syrian troops and PLO forces. When this is done, the Israeli withdrawal would take 8-12 weeks to complete, he said.

The U.S. expects Syria to abide by its “longstanding” public and private assurances that when the Lebanese government tells it that the Syrian army’s presence is “no longer necessary” it will withdraw, Veliotes said. He noted that Israeli troops in Lebanon are only 25 miles from Damascus.

“We assume that the withdrawal of those troops is some form of reassurance to Syria’s security concerns, ” he said. He added that the U.S. cannot see how the security arrangements worked out for south Lebanon between Israel and Lebanon where, he repeatedly stressed, the Lebanese army will be in complete control, could be seen as a threat to Syria.

REJECTS ANY LINKAGE

Veliotes rejected any linkage of the Golan Heights issue to Syrian withdrawal. He pointed out that while Reagan did not mention the Golan in his September I peace initiative for the Middle East, the U.S. stressed on the very next day that it considers the Golan Heights part of the territories occupied by Israel, as defined by UN Security Council Resolution 242.

Veliotes said he did not believe the Soviet Union could veto Syria’s withdrawal from Lebanon. He said he believed the government of Syria will make its own decisions. “We hope they make the right decisions so everyone will get out,” he said. He added that history shows “the longer they stay” the more there is a chance of conflict.

Meanwhile, U.S. special Ambassador for the Middle East Philip Habib will return to Beirut tomorrow to begin the U.S. efforts to gain Syria’s withdrawal, Veliotes said. No mention was made of Shultz returning to the Middle East. President Gemayel, in an interview published in The New York Times today, urged Shultz to return as soon as possible. But Shultz reportedly believes the main effort should not now be made by the Arab countries to get Syria to withdraw.

SAYS U.S. DID NOT PAY A PRICE

Veliotes replied with a firm “No” when he was asked if the U.S. had to pay a price to gain Israel’s agreement to withdraw from Lebanon. “It wasn’t a question of buying the Israelis out of Lebanon,” he said.

Veliotes, who accompanied Shultz on his recent mission to the Mideast, said it was clear in the talks that “the Israelis did wish to leave Lebanon” but it was a question of finding the “proper circumstances” under which their security could be safeguarded. “The Israelis clearly demonstrated in the negotiations that they have no desire to create a Northern Bank in Lebanon, ” he stressed.

Veliotes said the agreement serves Israel’s “legitimate self-interest” and seeks to ensure that a situation will not be recreated in which “terrorist acts” against Israel will once again occur. The agreement also prohibits both Israel and Lebanon from using each other’s territory to launch attacks against a third country.

Veliotes noted that Reagan, in April, linked removal of the embargo on the sale of 75 F-16 jet fighter-bombers to Israel with Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon. He agreed there was a “change in the atmosphere” now. But he said Reagan is “in the process of considering” what action to take now. This seemed to be an indication that an announcement on the F-16s may be made soon.