FBIS Coverage of the Middle East Peace Talks: 1977 December

PP ELEASE CI I RICA ONS DIVISION A -14 NOV201
Dec 77 ISRAEL N1
BEG OMMENTS 0 BREAKING OF RELATIONS F I 6- o E / - -
TA060530Y Jerusalem Domestic Service in Hebrew 0500 GMT 6 Dec 77 TA
[Text] The prime minister has said in London that Israel was sorry to hear that Egypt
had been forced to break diplomatic relations with five other Arab countries, as we
eek to achieve a peace settlement with all our neighbors in the Middle East. At a
anquet on behalf of the United Jewish Appeal, attended by about 1,000 people, the
rime minister said that Israel favors direct negotiations, and hence we are not happy
to see diplomatic relations being severed because our goal is a comprehensive peace
settlement through direct negotiations with all our neighbors. Begin hopes that the
U.S. secretary of state, when he comes to the region in a few days, will be able to
persuade a few more Arab countries to join the efforts to reach a settlement.
In Jerusalem it was reported that Israel will not have a diplomatic reaction to Egypt's
decision to sever relations with Syria, Iraq, Libya, Algeria and South Yemen. The
Foreign Ministry spokesman noted this was an internal matter of the Arab world,
.) Our political oorrespondent reports it is unofficially believed that As-Sadat will
now act toward reaching a settlement between Israel and Egypt. It is also believed
that now Jordan willjoin the political moves in the region because of its interest
in Judaea and Samaria. Thus it is possible that Israel will be asksd to define more
clearly its positions regarding Judaea and Samaria as far as the Palestinian issue is
concerned.
BEGIN TO MEET WITH SECRETARY VANCE IN JERUSALEM
TA051413Y Jerusalem Domestic Service in Hebrew 1400 GMT 5 Dec 77 TA
[Text] It was confirmed to our correspondent in London from the prime minister's
entourage that Mr Begin will confer with the U.S. secretary of state, Cyrus Vance,
in Jerusalem at the end of the week. It became known today that Mr Vance will come
to Israel within the framework of a tour of several Middle East countries. He will
.try to persuade more countries in the z'egion to send their representatives to the
Cairo conference. The Americans are especially trying to convince King Juhayn.
- Britain also promised Mr Begin to help persuade the Jordanians.
Begin on Vance, Other Topics
TA051858Y Jerusalem Domestic Service in Hebrew 1705 GMT 5 Dec 77 TA
[From the evening newsreel] -
1I
[Text] Today the prime minister is concluding the political part of his visit in Bri-
tain. In the afternoon the prime minister gave a special interview to our correspondent
in London, Mikha Limor: [begin recording]
[Question] Mr Prime Minister, the British prime minister, Mr Callaghan, in his speech
accepted your contention that the Europeans should not intervene in the peace process
in the Middle East. What was the argument which persuaded him?
[Answer] You should know that we, the Israeli, and British delegations, Britain's prime
minister and myself, talked for long hours. This question was raised in both the
private talk between us and in the joint talk. We explained to the hosts: First, the
nine decided on a position that is unfounded even in the opinion of the British Govern-
ment, of [demanding] a total withdrawal to the 1967 lines. The British Government,
just like the U.S. Government, has never accepted this false premise. So how can such
a position be determined with your approval?