Talks crucial, says Egypt

Press, 1 December 1978, Page 6

Talks crucial, says Egypt

NZPA-Reuter Cairo [ Egypt's chief peace ne- ’ - gotiator said yesterday thatji his team’s return to the con-; [feren.ee table depended on[ 'the outcome of talks in J Washington between the! [Egyptian Prime Minister (Mr[Mustapha Khalil) and Presi-i dent Carter of the United! [ States. General Kamal Hassan I AH, Defence Minister and;; [chief negotiator, told theI semi-official newspaper, “Al [. [Ahram,” that his return toj [Washington depended on Mr! [Khalil's talks. h The Egyptian Prime Minis-1; [ter flew to Paris on his way[to Washington with a per-; Isonal message for Mr Carter; [from President Anwar Sadat.i[He will also visit Bucharest,;, I Belgrade, Vienna, Bonn,! [Paris, and London. | The general told Al Ahram![that some of his team hadreturned to Cairo, but only; [those who had no further i

[part to play in the Washing-! [ton talks. He denied that the' -entire team was returning to; ; Cairo. The newspaper said that) [Mr Sadat’s message to Presi-[ [dent Carter emphasised that; [Egypt was keen to resume’ I the peace treaty talks —! {virtually suspended after the; ! return of Egyptian key ne-[ [ gotiators to Cairo last week: [— to achieve comprehensive! peace. | Egypt also demands that| [Article Six of the American-; [sponsored draft be amended’ [to underline Egypt’s com-’ Imitment to Arab defence! [pacts. [ [ Israel wants the treaty) [with Egypt to over-ride all [other treaties, especially; [defence treaties with other! [Arab nations. The United States draft; [states that in the event of al {conflict of interest between; [other treaties and the Egyp-[tian-Israeli treaty, it is that; treaty which will be binding, i