Documents / FOIA release
This is a Central Intelligence Agency release of Foreign Broadcast Information Service coverage of the Middle East peace talks from December 1977. It collects British, Israeli and Soviet press and radio items on President as-Sadat's initiative and the planned Cairo conference. It also covers Prime Minister Begin's visit to London, Secretary of State Vance's regional tour and the Knesset debate on the peace plan. It contains no material on unidentified aerial phenomena.
“Cairo”42 pages
PPROVED FOR RELEASE CIA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS DIVISION AR 70-14 13NOV201 V. 12 Dec 77 N 8 ISRAEL [Begin] Whilst in Jerusalem, president as-Sadat said, when we start talking directlyabout peace, he would like to represent, if I may say so, the Arab cause, and we agreed. So I have no doubt whatsoever that in Cairo our delegations will talk not only about the bilateral relations between Egypt and Israel but also about the problems concerningother countries in the Middle East, neighboring with Israel. I can only imagine that President asSadat will not claim that he can speak, for instance, now, on behalf of President ai.Asad, because President al-Asad doesn't agree to talk with us. So this is a problem, indeed, of the peacemaking process. Let us have some patience. If for the time being there are those who take a negative attitude, we should be optimistic.It will change. And they will Join in that effortt It s a problem of timei Let usgive ourselves some time. [Question] 'A question for both Mr Vance and Prime Minister Begin: It seems thatsecretaries of state have been coming to the Middle East now fairly often on sometimessuccessful, sometimes unsuccessful missions, but always in the role of mediators Nowthere are direct face-to-face negotiations How do you gentlemen expectoediato s inthe talks in Cairo and here envisage the role of the United States in the [futurendistint] initiatives? o [Vance) The United States is delighted that we have face-to-face discussions going on between Israel and Egypt. It has been our hope for years that the time would come when the parties could sit down together, face to face, and discuss the serious issues that had to be resolved in order to get peace. We have said time and again that that'sthe only way you're going to achieve a real peace. So our role is that of a mediator,a facilitator. That is the role we intend to play. We want toe suthat of tordiscussions, face to face, among the parties, be supportive of the [Begin] You said, sir, that the secretary of state is visiting the Middle East often.As a citizen of one of the host countries, I will add: not often enough. [Question) Mr Prime Minister, President as- adat was asked yesterday in Cairo whether he was pleased with the Israeli response to his initiative. He said no, not yet; theyhaven't answered. My question is, one, do you intend to answer; and two, when do youintend to answer? Will that be at Cairo, or before Cairo? [Begin] You might have seen, my friend that any statements whatsoever. I think its a healthy attitude. The rl pomcs about negotiations and negotiations will start on Wednesday in Therreal response is [Question] What is the United States advising Israel to do at this historic moment? [Vance] America, as Israel's historic friend, is counselling with Israel to find outwhat we can do to be most helpful in the direct negotiationgwhich are going on face toface between Israel and Egypt, [Begin] May I pay tribute to the efforts made by the President of the United Statesand the Government of the United States throughout the years, mainly this year, to bringabout this momentous development. And let me also add even the visit itself by presidentas-Sadat to Jerusalem was made possible by the help of the United States Government. SoI would like to pay tribute to this effort to the secretary
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FOIA release, from the cia-readingroom collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. 65 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.