FBIS Coverage of the Middle East Peace Talks: 1977 December

PPROVED FOR RELEASE CIA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS DIVISION AR 70-14 13NOV201
VII. 2 Dec 77 Q 2 UNITED KINGDOM
DAILY TELEGRAPH PRAISES AS-SADAT'S STATESMANSHIP
LD291151Y London THE DAILY TELEGRAPH in English 29 Nov 77 p 18 LD
[Editorial: "As-Sadat Keeps in Front"] -
[Excerpts] President as-Sadat continues to make rings round all the other parties in-
volved in the Middle East dispute. He seized, and has so far held, the moral, diplomatic
and public relations initiative. When the more militant Arab states denounced him as atraitor for going on his historic visit to Jerusalem he countered by inviting all concerned
to a meeting in Cairo next Saturday.
Now that the dust is settling somewhat behind Mr as-Sadat's chariot three things seem
clear. He has made a deep and most favourable impression on world public opinion as a
statesman and a personality. Far from being torn to shreds by the outraged army andpopulace at home, he has been acclaimed. Finally, renewed war between Egypt and Israel
seems, to say the least, to have become highly improbably, and without Egypt the others
are hamstrung. These realisations may account for a milder tone in Mr al-Asad's references
yesterday to Mr as-Sadat. Iraq and Jordan have started maneuvering. There need be no
disappointment that Israelis foreign minister, Mr Dayan, will not after all be leading
the Israeli delegation to Cairo-=still the~ only one to have accepted. That both sides
should be represented only by senior officials evidently suits Egypt, which is still
sensitive to accusations of seeking a separate peace. It is devoutly to be hoped how-
ever that at this meeting Israel will make a bigger practical response than so far.
Mr Raphael's moving article on this page on' the 30th anniversary of the United Nations
resolution that led to the creation of the state of Israel makes her preoccupation with
security highly understandable but surely the situation that has now developed represents
such a radical change that a calculated political and psychological risk would bring
security dividends.
MIRV WARHEADS REPORTEDLY TURNED DOWN TO PLACATE USSR
LD011149Y London THE DAILY TELEGRAPH in English 1 Dec 77 p 4 LD
[Article by Clare Hollingworth: "Britain's Warhead Plans Trimmed To Placate Russia"]
[Text] Britain is planning to order from the United States a twin nuclear warhead 'for
its Polaris missiles instead of taking up an option on the American MIRV multiple-headed,
pre-targeted missle.
This is part of the scheme Britain has conveyed to America to ensure the maintenance of
the British independent nuclear deterrent.
I understand that Britain has decided in principle to replace the Polaris missile war-
head with one carying two nuclear warheads of the same weight, which, like a shotgun,
would cause far greater damage.
The'government apparently turned down MIRV warheads--multiple independently targetted
re-entry vehicles--on the grounds that to increase the number of nuclear warheads from
the current 32 on two Polaris submarines to something over 300 would upset Russia.
In' fact, they have suggested two instead of the more normal three warheads on the newmissile they hope to acquire.