Crucial point in M.E. talks

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33791, 13 March 1975, Page 17

Crucial point in M.E. talks

(N.Z.P. A.‘Renter— Copyright) JERUSALEM, March 12.

Dr Henry Kissinger will fly to Egypt today to meet President Sadat, of Egypt, for Middle East peace talks, which Israel says have reached a crucial stage. The Israeli Foreign Minister (Mr Yigal Allon) held out the possibility of important developments soon when he talked to reporters last night after another session between Israeli negotiators and Dr Kissinger’s team of mediators.

The Foreign Minister said the talks, which ended about midnight, were good and constructive. A further meeting will be held this morning before the United States Secretary of State leaves for Aswan.

He will take with him the options Israel is offering Egypt as part of further disengagement moves. The Israelis are seeking to normalise relations with Egypt before withdrawing from strategic areas in occupied Sinai.

Egypt is calling for a further Israeli withdrawal behind the strategic Mitla and Giddi Passes, but Israel wants Egypt publicly to withdraw her forces first. “No panic” Mr Allon said no unexpected difficulties were encountered in last night’s discussions. “We all feel we are now labouring in a very crucial period in which important developments may or may not take place,” he said. Senior Egyptian officials in Cairo have rejected a reported Israeli proposal that [any withdrawal should be I spread over at least six i months so that each side ! could test the other’s peaceiful intentions.

“Six months is far too long, and Egypt has alreadyproved its peaceful intentions,” said an official accompanying President Sadat.

The Egyptian leader estimates the chances of success at 80 to 90 per cent, but he has said that if there was nc agreement there should be no panic, because Egypt is in a strong position.

Egyptian officials are confident that the differences between Egypt and Israel are not as great as they have appeared. A highly-placed Egyptian official said that the question of a non-belligerency pledge — which Israel is publicly

demanding as the price for further withdrawals — has not been raised in the negotiations conducted through Dr Kissinger. Officials point to the first disengagement agreement, signed just over a year ago, in Which Egypt and Israel pledged that they would scrupulously observe the cease-fire and refrain from all military and paramilitary actions against each other.

This could be said to amount to a pledge of nonbelligerency, and it is believed that Egypt would have no objection to a similarly worded article in any agreement.

Egypt is also believed to be ready to consider meeting another Israeli demand, for passage on non-military cargoes to and from Israel through the Suez Canal. The canal, closed since the 1967 Middle East War, now is almost ready to be re-opened, but Egypt is making its re-opening conditional on withdrawal of Israeli troops from their positions close to the waterway.