'M.E. poses work on peace plan’

Press, 13 April 1978, Page 8

'M.E. poses work on peace plan’

.NZPA-Reuter New York I Israel and Egypt are; i working on a declaration of ■ Middle East peace principles! that would put Israeli settle-1 ments in Sinai under Egyptian control, the American: Broadcasting Company has

said. A report from an A.B.C. news correspondent, Doreen Kays in Cairo, said the declaration also proposed some form of self-determination after five years for the Palestinians on the West Bank of the River Jordan and in the Gaza Strip.

Quoting highly-placed sources in Cairo, Kays said that peace talks between Israel and Egypt might reearly in May. She also said the Egyptian President (Mr Anwar Sadat) might meet King Hussein of Jordan this week to discuss the declaration.

According to the sources quoted by Kays, the proposed declaration of principles envisages:

The right of each country [to its sovereignty and indeipendence; | A tripartite Israeli, JordaInian, and Palestinian com- [ mission to oversee the West 'Bank and the Gaza Strip for five years. After five years, there would be some form of selfdetermination, not only for the Palestinians but also for Israelis, Jordanians. and Egyptians, living on the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip. The report said that under

the agreement on Sinai, the Israelis would withdraw from the area in 18 months, with a pull-back from El Arish to Ras Muhammad coming in the first three months. A.B.C. also said that three hard-line Egyptian Generals viewed as heroes of the 1973 war with Israel were being reassigned and that this had cleared the way for the agreement.