FBIS Coverage of the Middle East Peace Talks: 1977 December

PPROVED FOR RELEASE CIA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS DIVISION AR 70-14 13NOV201
V. 12 Dec 77 N 5 ISRAEL
And in this effort we are helped to a very-great extent by the Government of the United
States, by the President and by the secretary of state. It is in this spirit, Mr
Secretary, that we welcome you again in Jerusalem. You are not a novice to this city.
You are almost one of the family, and we've met many times in this hotel. May I say
that the secretary of state actually traveled the same road President ac-Sadat did 3
weeks ago, as the secretary came from Cairo to Jerusalem and then went to the King
David Hotel and then we had a private talk. And again, all has been done in friendship
in understanding, in pursuit of peace. Thank you, Mr Secretary.
[Vance] Thank you very much, Mr Prime Minister, for your very kind words. I bring
with me the appreciation, the gratitude and the admiration of President Carter and of
all Americans. The leadership which you, Mr Prime Minister, and President as-Sadat
have given to the movement for peace is something which history will record for
generations to come.
I am terribly pleased that I am able to be here at this point to meet with you and to .
discuss what we can do to help follow the leadership which you and President as-Sadat
have given to the search for peace. I feel that our discussions today, which have
been, as always, friendly and fruitful, have helped very much in guiding our steps
in a supportive role in the days ahead. So I thank you again, Mr Prime Minister, on
behalf of myself, my colleagues and the President. I think that there is a chance of
moving forward now towards real peace, a true and lasting peace.
[Question] Can you tell us how things will be beginning Wednesday in Cairo? What do
you see 'happening, at least [words indistinct]?
[Vance] On Wednesday the meeting in Cairo will commence. The meeting, as President
as-Sadat has indicated, is an open meeting. It has no fixed date within which to
accomplish its task. I anticipate that there will be discussed at the meeting matters
of substance as well as matters of procedure. I believe that it is possible in those
meetings to chart the course, to pave the way towards an ultimate comprehensive settle-
ment, as the prime minister has said. Our objective, the objective which we all
share, is that we may achieve a comprehensive settlement of all the issues which have
troubled the Middle East for so long and that this step will be a very important step
along that problem.
[Question] Ird like to ask a question of both Prime Minister Begin and the secretary "
based on what the secretary has told Mr Begin. Do you see at the moment any realistic
possibility that Syria and Jordan, or either one of them, will take part in the Cairo
conference--towards that comprehensive peace that you both say you see?
[Vance] At this moment both Syria and Jordan have indicated that they do not intend
to participate in the Cairo conference. That is a decision which each must take as
an independent sovereign nation. What the future will hold, I do not think any of
us can predict. We hope they will keep an open mind and as the peace process moves
forward, that they will decide to join the peace process.
[Begin] Mr (Malus), I can only express hope that both Syria and Jordan will join in the
effort. You remember, in the Knesset, I invited them already for a third time- either
to come to Jerusalem, as President as-Sadat did, or if they would prefer me to go to see
them., I will go any place and meet. them. But I understand that this is a part of the
American effort now. And, therefore, the secretary of state is here and will visit
both Amman and Damascus--to try, indeed, to convince the leaders of the two countries
that they can join. Of course, it is up to them. We want them to participate in the
effort together with us.