There are “no plans at this point” for Secretary of State George Shultz to visit the Middle East to try to reactivate the peace process there, State Department deputy spokesman Alan Romberg said today.
Romberg also denied a report in the widely circulated Parade magazine yesterday of a secret defense treaty between the U.S. and Israel that would have both countries fighting together under “certain circumstances.” Parade Magazine said, “Reportedly the pact calls for Israel to act as an aircraft carrier of sorts in the Middle East should the U.S. require a forward base for its troops.”
Commenting on this, Romberg said, “We’ve indicated before that this is not something that is in the works.”
Asked if Syria has indicated a willingness for indirect negotiations with Israel on the withdrawal of Israeli forces from south Lebanon, Romberg said the U.S. “has not offered to mediate and our objective is that all the foreign forces in Lebanon leave along with the other objectives we have consistently maintained.”
As the Year Turns, Support the Journalism You Trust. JTA covers the stories shaping Jewish life around the world — with the depth this moment calls for. As you reflect on the year ahead, consider a gift that keeps independent Jewish journalism strong.
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.
