New Soviet approaches to the United States, apparently aimed at reaching agreement on an imposed solution for the Middle East deadlock, have been made in the past few weeks, it was learned authoritatively here today. It was learned on equal authority that the United States had been steadfast in its refusal to agree to anything other than a peace agreement arrived at directly between Israel and an Arab country.
The Soviet goal, as seen by Foreign Ministry sources here, seemed to be that of striving to reach points of agreement with the United States on settlement proposals which the two powers would then seek to impose on Israel and the Arab states. However, it was also indicated, the first Soviet demand remains that Israel should withdraw to the pre-Six-Day war lines of 1967.
Prime Minister Levi Eshkol meanwhile reiterated Israel’s determination to remain on the existing demarcation lines for the next 20 years if that would be needed to assure a lasting Middle East peace. Speaking at a youth meeting last night, the Premier echoed a criticism by Foreign Minister Abba Eban of a joint Soviet-Egyptian communique urging Israel’s prompt withdrawal from the occupied areas.
The communique was issued in Cairo following the departure yesterday of a Soviet delegation, headed by Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko, who spent four days in Cairo in conferences with President Nasser and other Egyptian leaders. The communique declared that Israel’s “regional expansionist policy, as indicated in statements of Israel leaders, prevents the establishment of peace in the area.” The communique also charged that “the Israeli refusal to implement the Security Council resolution of Nov. 22 1967, and its continuation in occupying lands of three Arab countries, ensures its expansionist policy and forms contained aggression against the sovereignty and security of these Arab states.” In the communique, Egypt expressed its “deep consideration of steps already taken by the Soviet Union toward erasing the consequences of the Israeli aggression.” The communique also said that Russia and Egypt would continue talks on “matters of concern to both sides.”
(The Soviet News Agency, Tass, reported today, after Gromyko’s return to Moscow, that Egypt had declared its readiness to cooperate fully with Dr. Gunnar Jarring, the United Nations special Mideast peace emissary, who received his mandate from the Nov. 1967 Security Council resolution. The Tass statement added that the Soviet Union had again pledged full support to Egypt and asserted that continued Israeli occupation of the Arab territories was the main cause of tension in the Middle East.)
Mr. Eban said last night at a press conference here that the communique showed there had been no change in the ideas of the Soviet Foreign Minister and President Nasser or even in their formulations on a possible Middle East solution. Mr. Eban charged that the communique had taken out of its context in the Security Council resolution the proposal on Israeli withdrawals. Mr. Eban said that the joint statement had even failed to mention peace, or secure boundaries or the demand for mutual recognition and renunciation of belligerence — all of which are part of the Security Council resolution. Mr. Eban said that the Soviet Union had identified itself, in the communique, with Egyptian aggression in the past and intransigence in the present and had thus become an active partner in the developments leading to the present deadlock which have prevented establishment of peace.
The possibility of a triangular discussion involving the United States, Russia and Egypt which might be at Israel’s expense was raised previously by an Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman, who added that Israel was following the developments with “prudent vigilance but not with pessimism.”
Mr. Eshkol told the students that the communique indicated rigidity and that the withdrawal demand was made without any reference to a permanent peace framework. He added that the communique indicated the Soviet Union had failed to use its influence on Egypt in behalf of peace.
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