Egypt Unfolds Own Peace Plan in Diplomatic Counter-offensive to Israel’s Plan

Egypt unfolded today its own peace proposals in what diplomatic observers here viewed as a counter-offensive to offset the air of cordiality that has existed between Israel and special Mideast mediator Ambassador Gunnar V. Jarring since he received a revised Israeli peace plan in Jerusalem this past weekend. Egypt’s three-pronged plan, reported unofficially today in Al Gomhouria, organ of the Arab Socialist Union, called for Big Four enforcement of an Arab-Israeli peace pact under United Nations auspices; Israeli departure from all the Arab areas captured in the Six-Day War, and a Security Council meeting before the Feb. 5 expiration of the cease-fire extension to determine peace guidelines in accord with Council Resolution 242 of Nov. 22, 1967. Al Gomhouria reported the Egyptian government said the Big Four–the United States, the Soviet Union. Britain and France–should “shoulder their responsibility toward peace” and act to oppose Israeli “aggression” by means of mutual peacekeeping patrol.

The paper reported that Egyptian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Riad had received “total support” from France and “understanding” from Britain on his recent visits with leaders when he told them that Israeli rejection of a Big Four peace force would “expose her ill will and expansionist designs.” According to reports at the UN, Mahmoud Riad, Egypt’s Foreign Minister, telephoned his country’s ambassador to the UN, Mohammed el-Zayyat and reportedly asked him to convey the plan to Dr. Jarring. Diplomatic sources here said that the Egyptian government had been caught off guard with the friendly worldwide response to Israel’s proposals last weekend and Dr. Jarring’s view of them as a serious and genuine contribution to keep the peace talks going. The ambassador termed the Israeli peace proposal as “substantive and useful” upon his return to UN headquarters on Sunday and again yesterday.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Hassanein Heykal, editor of the semi-official but authoritative Cairo newspaper Al Ahram, in a guest column in today’s New York Times, recalls the terse dictum delivered to Kremlin leaders last July by his late mentor, President Gamal Abdel Nasser: “One, I can never relinquish any land to Israel. Two, I can never surrender the rights of the Palestinians.” Heykal elaborates: “The Egyptian position on territory has been determined by thousands of years of history. Our borders have always been well-defined…We, the Egyptians, demand a total withdrawal of the Israeli occupation troops. The Israelis say they need guarantees for their security. As President (Anwar) Sadat has said, the maximum security that Israel could obtain would be a guarantee by the Big Four…(F)rom a practical point of view, a guarantee by the Big Four would be a step toward peace because they are the major suppliers of armaments to the Middle East combatants…In reality, however, Israel does not need a guarantee for her security…If Israel is so (admittedly) powerful, why does she need guarantees?” Egypt’s recommendation of a special Security Council meeting is opposed by Israel, which fears that it would be used to pressure her to accede to Egypt’s conditions under the threat of an Egyptian refusal to extend the cease-fire again beyond Feb. 5.