A Foreign Ministry spokesman said today that there was absolutely no foundation to press reports that President Anwar Sadat of Egypt has agreed to proximity talks with Israel on reopening the Suez Canal without prior conditions.
The spokesman pointed out that Sadat has stated repeatedly in his recent speeches that Egypt is not prepared to enter talks unless Israel commits itself in advance to withdraw its forces from Sinai. He noted that Israel announced on Feb. 2, 1972, that it was ready to enter proximity talks with Egypt without conditions. That position still stands, the spokesman said.
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.
