M,E. compromise likely

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33774, 21 February 1975, Page 13

M,E. compromise likely

(N.Z. Press Assn—Copyright)

WASHINGTON, February 20.

The American Secretary of State (Dr Henry Kissinger) today reported to President Ford that he had made progress towards a newpence agreement between Israel and Egypt during his 10-day visit to the Middle East and Europe, and that he had promised to keep in close touch with the Soviet Union about the negotiations.

“The United States has Iways felt that her relations with the Soviet Union are central to the maintenance of peace,” Dr Kissinger told reporters on his arrival home yesterday. A senior official on Dr Kissinger’s aircraft said ■ that, “barring an unforseen turn for the worse,” Dr Kissinger would return to the Middle East early next month “to nail down the precise terms of a peace agreement.” Reporters were told that Dr Kissinger would send a summary of the negotiations to Israel, Egypt and Syria, and seek their responses and, perhaps, further concessions. The leaders of the three countries have already made conciliatory statements since Dr Kissinger left the Middle East last week-end.

Even Syria, the most militant of Israels neighbours, is said to have indicated a willingness to enter a second withdrawal agreement with Israel; but Dr Kissinger fears that the Syrians may seek to sabotage any separate agreement between Egypt and Israel.

The compromise that seems to be emerging would commit Egypt not to go to

war for a set period, possibly two or three years, while efforts are made to reach a total solution at the Middle; East conference in Geneva. !

I In return for Israeli conI cessions, Dr Kissinger is said ) to be prepared to commit the •United States to a long-term I aid programme involving thousands of millions of (dollars. New condition The prospects of an early resumption of the Geneva talks dimmed yesterday, when Egypt said that she would not return to the peace table until she had made up all the weapons she lost in the 1973 war. By setting this new condition, however, Egypt indicated that she was more interested in Dr Kissinger’s step-by-step approach. The new insistence may) have been a factor in the Soviet Union’s decision to resume arms supplies to Egypt: Moscow has appeared displeased by Dr Kissinger’s Middle East diplomacy, and wants the Geneva conference to resume so that Moscow can re-establish its initiative in peace moves.

The “New York Times” reports from Beirut that the Soviet Union will supply Egypt, under a six-month programme, with enough arms to make up for most of the losses the Egyptian forces suffered, according to East European and Lebanese sources.

The quality of some of the weapons, however, is below the standard requested by President Sadat and the Egyptian Army Command, and not up to par with that achieved in Egypt’s own armament industry since the 1973 war.

Continued Egyptian refusal to accept Russian military technicians with the requested sophisticated weapons was a main reason for Moscow’s reluctance to supply them, the sources are quoted as saying.

Moscow has apparently agreed to provide Egypt with

'5O MiG 23 fighter aircraft, the same number and type sent to Syria since the 1973 war. Egypt’s request for 120 MiG 23s — the number of fighter aircraft she lost in 1973 — was refused, and President Sadat decided to) buy 50 Mirage Fls from France.

Under the six-month programme, Egypt will also receive from the Soviet Union an undisclosed number of ground -to - air missiles, surface-to-surface missiles, and 500 tanks, the sources say.

The proposed first visit to Jordan by an Egyptian President, which diplomatic sources had expected this week, has been postponed.

It is not clear to what extent there has been a chance of plan for President! Sadat’s journey to Amman for talks with King Hussein, but Beirut sources say that the tentative time-table has had to be changed “to fit in with other events.” An earlier report had said that President Assad of Syria was also expected to go to Jordan for a meeting between the three leaders of the Arab States in confrontation with Israel.