Kurt Waldheim, the United Nations Secretary General, declared at a press conference here that he is working to include the other parties to the Middle East conference in the present peace negotiations between Israel and Egypt, with United States participation.
Waldheim said the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty had changed the framework of Middle East peace talks. He also told reporters that a reconvened Geneva peace conference, which he had previously favored, “would not contribute to a Middle East solution at this time or in the near future.”
He reiterated that the Palestinian issue “is still at the crux” of the Middle East problem. He said he had advocated “very delicate” preparatory meetings, under UN auspices, to bring Syria, Jordan “and others” into the peace talks.
He said the Palestinian Arabs “want self-determination” and “their own state.” He said “there is a deep gap-between the Palestinians, the other Arabs and the Israeli-American approach” and that there cannot be a comprehensive Mideast settlement without solution of the Palestinian problem.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
