Some Skepticism Expressed over Real Intent of Sadat’s Proposal

Premier Menachem Begin’s professed satisfaction with Egyptian President Anwar Sadat’s proposal for a Mideast foreign ministers’ meeting under U.S. auspices to precede the Geneva conference is not shared by some circles in Israel. Those circles in fact take the pessimistic view that Sadat’s proposal is little more than an Arab ploy to gain time to prepare for a military showdown with Israel.

Begin described Sadat’s idea yesterday as “very constructive” and especially welcomed the Egyptian leader’s reported remark that he had no objections to face-to-face talks between the Egyptian and Israeli foreign ministers. The Premier, speaking at a ceremonial occasion at Kfar Habad today, reiterated his sanguine view. He told his audience that next month Israel’s Foreign Minister will meet in Washington or New York with three or four foreign ministers from the neighboring countries.

But circles here seized upon a report in the semi-official Cairo newspaper Al Ahram today as an indication that the Egyptians are back-tracking on the idea of face-to-face talks. Al Ahram, quoting an official Egyptian source, said the aim of the preliminary meeting was to ensure the continuation of consultations between the Arab foreign ministers and U.S. Secretary of State Cyrus Vance on one hand and the Israeli foreign minister and Vance on the other. This was interpreted as meaning that the Arabs will not talk to the Israelis but that each side will talk separately to the Americans.

CITE DISCOURAGING RESULTS, SO FAR

The circles who view the Sadat proposal as a trap for Israel cite what they consider the discouraging results, so far, of Vance’s current visit to Middle East capitals. They say that in each capital

This leads certain Israeli circles to conclude that the Arabs’ seeming readiness for a political solution is camouflage intended to gain time for military preparations. They say that if the Vance talks end in a deadlock, the Mideast would again be thrown into an atmosphere of tension similar to the tension that precedes the renewal of the UN peace-keeping forces mandates every six months.

Should such a situation develop with respect to the broader issue of a peace conference, these circles believe that the Arab states, mainly Egypt and Syria, would take measures to implement their military option.