Arab hawks snub Sadat call for pre-Geneva talks

Press, 28 November 1977, Page 8

Arab hawks snub Sadat call for pre-Geneva talks

International

ISZPA-Reuter Cairo Egypt is to follow up President Sadat’s latest Middle East peace initiative by issuing formal invitation s to preparatory talks in Cairo to set up another Geneva conference.

President Sadat announced at the week-end that he: would invite the United States, the Soviet Union. Is-, rael, and all concerned Arab States to the Cairo meeting, I which he said was meant to ensure a settlement in months instead of years. However, it already seems unlikely that all the invited parties will come to Cairo. 1 Israel promptly responded favourable but Syria

’summarily rejected the i move. Arab hard-liners are completing preparations for a summit meeting in Tripoli, the Libyan capital, aimed at creating a solid front against President Sadat. President Sadat made his proposal for a preparatory meeting when he gave a full 'account to Parliament on Saturday of his historic visit to Jerusalem a week ago.

Egypt's official Middle East News Agency said that the Acting Foreign Minister (Dr Butros Ghali) would summon representatives of the various parties and hand them the invitations which (he had drafted. Although President Sadat I did not mention the Palesi tine Liberation Organisation (by name among the Arab (parties to be invited. Dr (Ghali said it would be asked Ito the Cairo talks. The P.L.O. was recognised by all Arab countries, including Fpvnt as thp

legitimate representative of the Palestinian people at the 1974 Arab summit meeting. Israel has been adamant in the past in its refusal to deal directly with the P.L.0., which it has described as a “terrorist” organisation intent on the destruction of' the State of Israel. The proposed Cairo meeting would provide the P.L.O. with its first chance to achieve Israeli recognition

as one of the parties directly j involved in the Middle East' crisis. The P.L.0., an umbrella of the Palestine commando groups, has been vehement in its criticism of Mr Sadat’s visit to Israel. Egypt has already invited; ' a group of Palestinian and i Israeli Arabs to Cairo fori I discussions on Palestinian) J representation at the Geneva) i conference. It was still not clear j whether the group would also be invited to the Cairo ! meeting along with, or as an [alternative to, the P.L.O. ■ Either step is expected to : have far-reaching con-[ I sequences. The P.L.O. could adopt a moderate attitude and come [to Cairo or boycott the meeting and help create a fresh Palestinian leadership [from inside the Israeli-occu- ! pied territories prepared to [accept a Palestinian State linked to Jordan, analysts i said.

; President Sadat has been! advocating the declaration of such a link before reconvening Geneva talks. In Damascus, a Government spokesman said: “There is no question of Syria going to Cairo.” i The Syrian Foreign Minister (Mr Abdel-Halim Khad,'dam) added: “Geneva is condemned, buried.” Analysts recalled. that: Syria boycotted the first and I only round of the Geneva! conference, convened soon! after the October, 1973: Arab-Israeli war.

But this did not prevent! s Damascus from using the | Egyptian-Israeli joint mili-! i tary working groups of the i conference to complete the , technicalities of its first disi engagement agreement with 'lsrael in the spring of 1974. Informed Egyptian sources i said that eventually Syria! and the Palestinians would • join Egypt in its peace! move. But the sources were ■ not certain this would be in h

I time for the Cairo meeting iif it took place. The Soviet Union, co-1 chairman of the Geneva con-i’ ference with the United; States, has not yet said' whether it will attend the! meeting. ■ Moscow was left in the [cold for several years after i the 1973 war, while much of ( the peace effort was promoted by the United States. I The Soviet Union’s only {concrete appearance on the : scene recently was when it joined the United States last {month in calling for reconvening of the Geneva conferjence by December. i Analysts question whether! i Moscow, which has strong ■ iSties with Syria and Palestinians, and poor relations with: : Cairo, is prepared to allow! i Washington to dominate the: scene again. Jordan has been Syria’s i close ally for the past two; , years and it was still not clear whether Amman will ' also boycott the Cairo meeting.