M.E. talks hopes rise

Press, 4 December 1978, Page 8

M.E. talks hopes rise

;NZPA-Reuter Washington Stalled Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty talks yesterday appeared to be headed for a resumption after two meetings between the United States Secretary of State (Mr Cyrus Vance) and the Egyptian Prime Minister (Mr Mustapha Khalil). Mr Khalil postponed his planned departure for Europe 1 ' after the first of the week--1 ■ end meetings and said he 1 ' would stay in Washington 1 ■ for further talks with Mr 1 j Vance. . United States officials des- ' cribed the meetings as .'directly aimed “at trying to work out a way to resume the negotiations.” I

A spokeswoman said the United States was awaiting the results of an Israeli Cabinet session before decid- . ing on its next step. The United States had I been in touch, through its ■ embassy in Tel Aviv, with : the Israeli Government after ■ Saturday’s talks, she added. President Jimmy Carter, ; who held unusually long disi cussions lasting nearly three hours with Mr Khalil on Fri- : day, was briefed at the i White House by Mr Vance • on the day’s developments. United States officials • commented after the talks: i “Everyone seems to have a i common objective—that is to resume negotiations.” I That statement included

i Israel, they said, adding: ; “They all now seem to be on i that track.” The talks, which began on October 12 amid high hopes I for an early conclusion, have > been suspended for the last i two weeks. The Israeli Cabinet will . decide today how to respond , to Egypt’s latest proposals on • the talks. I Those proposals, put to Mr • Carter and the Israeli Prime i Minister (Mr Menachem Be- ! gin) in personal letters from President Sadat of Egypt, > accept a United States com- : promise formula designed to ‘ resolve one of the main stumbling blocks in the talks, I the so-called “linkage” issue.