Envoys to present hostage terms

Press, 27 November 1980, Page 9

Envoys to present hostage terms

NZPA-Reuter Washington

Three Algerian envoys will today present and explain Iran’s response to United States proposals for ending the year-long hostage crisis.

The Algerian ambassadors in Teheran and Washington and the governor of the Algerian Central Bank, who arrived yesterday, will be welcomed' bi' the Secretary of State (Mr Edmund Muskie) at a luncheon in their honour.

They will then begin talks with the Deputy Secretary of State (Mr Warren Christopher) which are expected to stretch into tomorrow, the Aferican Thanksgiving holiday. Algeria was chosen by Iran to act as go-between in the negotiations. The State Department’s spokesman, John Trattner, said yesterday it was continuing in the role of intermediary, not mediator or adviser.

Iran drew up five lists of questions on the United States proposals delivered to Teheran by the diplomatic middlemen two weeks ago and the department, while generally aware of their contents, was awaiting formal presentation and explana- I tions by the envoys, officials' said. i But Mr Trattner could not; explain why Algiers had; sent the three envoys toi Washington, giving them an even higher profile in efforts to gain freedom for the 52 American hostages. Three weeks ago, Teheran told the United States that to win release of the hostages it would have to pledge not to interfere in Iran’s internal affairs, drop all legal claims against Iran, unfreeze Iranian funds in United States banks, and return the late Shah’s assets.

The United jstates’ reply, delivered personally by Mr Christopher-in Algiers a week later, accepted the first condition but explained legal and constitutional problems in meeting the others. United States officials said. The fourth term, the pledge of non-interference in Iran’s internal affairs, apparently is the easiest to meet. President Carter and Mr Muskie have said since last (northern summer) that the Administration recognised the Islamic revolution that toppled the United' Statesbacked Shah and had no intention of getting involved in Iranian matters..