Sadat, Begin hail dawn of new era

Press, 28 March 1979, Page 8

Sadat, Begin hail dawn of new era

By BARRY SCHWEID, of the Associated Press, through NZPA Washington Egypt and Israel, neighbours but enemies for a generation, signed a treaty yesterday to begin a new, fragile era of peace between the two nations.

In a solemn ceremony on the front lawn of the White House, the Egyptian President (Mr Anwar Sadat) and Israeli Prime Minister (Mr Menachem Begin) put their names to Arabic, Hebrew, and English copies of a treaty promising mutual recognition, respect, and peace. “Peace has come,” declared a beaming President Carter, whose personal intervention 19 days ago brought negotiations back to life after they had stalemated on the details. Later at the White House State dinner, both Mr Begin and Mr Sadat proposed that Mr Carter receive the 1979 Nobel Peace prize for his efforts.

Mr Begin, who shared the 1978 prize with Mr Sadat, said he was certain that both he and the Egyptian leader would be in Oslo, Norway, next December to see Mr Carter accept the award. Earlier, during the signing ceremony, Mr Carter quoted the Bible and the Koran and offered a personal prayer that Arabs and Jews may one day be brothers. Mr Sadat, replying, declared: “Let there be no more bloodshed between Arabs and Israelis.” “Let us work together until the day comes when they beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruninghooks,” the Egyptian said. “No more war,” agreed Mr Begin. “No more bloodshed. Peace unto you. Shalom, salaam, forever.” “Shalom” means peace in Hebrew, “Salaam” means peace in Arabic. Protesters shouting “Long live Palestine” could be heard from the streets. The three leaders ignored them. Mr Sadat and Mr Begin both praised Mr Carter profusely. Mr Sadat called him a man of compassion. Mr Begin said that Mr Carter’s work would be remembered for generations. Agreement did not come easily. Even at lunch with Mr Carter, a little more than an

hour before they signed, Mr Begin and Mr ' Sadat were still disputing what the treaty papers should call an area that the Israeli leader insists on referring to as Judea and Samaria and most of the world calls the West Bank. Even the mediator, Mr Carter, appended this note to the papers: “I have been informed that the expression West Bank is understood by the Government of Israel to mean Judea and Samaria.” In addition, in separate letters to Mr Sadat and Mr Begin, Mr Carter pledged to take steps to ensure the deployment of a multinational force in the Sinai if the United Nations Security Council fails to station a United Nations force there. Mr Sadat and Mr Begin signed, dramatically, on the windy lawn, after 30 years of hostility and four wars between their nations and after 15 months of Americansponsored negotiations. Then Mr Carter added his signature, a satisfied witness, grasped each other in a three-way handshake. Mr Carter said softly, “I’m so proud of both of you.” In the prepared text of his remarks issued earlier, Mr Sadat had said that a dialogue between the United States and representatives of the Palestinian people “will be a very helpful development.” “On the other hand, we must be certain that the provisions of the Camp David framework on the establishment of a self-governing authority with full autonomy are carried out. “There must be a genuine transfer of authority to the Palestinians in their land. Without that, the problem will remain unsolved.” But in delivering the speech, he cut out much of these references to the Palestinians. In their last meeting before the treaty was signed, Mr Begin and Mr Sadat agreed to open the borders between their countries

within two months after their peace treaty takes effect. The agreement will enable Israelis to visit Egypt and Egyptians Israel ’ seven months earlier than expected. The peace treaty will take effect as soon as it is ratified by the Egyptian National People’s Assembly, expected in the next two weeks. Reaction to the ending of 30 years of hostility between the two countries was muted in Cairo, but marked with noisy enthusiasm in the Mediterranean port of Alexandria, Egypt’s second largest city.