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 11 ISRAEL In DAVAR's opinion, the success or failure of the Vance trip will be known only after he visits Amman and Damascus. Even though the Americans do not oppose the Israeli- Egyptian contacts, they took pains to stress in Cairo and in Jerusalem that the parties were not intent on a separate settlement but on a comprehensive settlement. There is no doubt that Washington still desires as comprehensive an agreement as possible that will also include Syria, for in the event of a polarization Syria might be pushed back into the arms of the Soviets--something which the Americans would like to avoid at all costs. For the time being, however, the chances of Mr Vance's success in Damascus appear to be rather slight. Signs of regret, about having participated in the front of those who were at Tripoli, could not be seen on Al-Asad during his trip to the oil countries. HAZOFF calls upon the U.S. administration to let the moves in the region develop properly. The newspaper writes that President Carter's remark that he expects Israel to show courage in the face of the'Egyptian peace initiative is tantamount to a call to Israel to make concessions. Israel should be allowed to decide for itself on matters concerning its national security. 'AL HAMISHMAR writes that there was a demonstrative optimism in the prime minister's remarks at yesterday's press conference. However, over and above that, we did not learn the degree of the Israeli Government's willingness to reduce the large gap between President as-Sadat's opening positions and those of 1 Mr Begin. Everyone hopes for the success of the Cairo conference, but side by side with hope one cannot hide one's feelings of fear in view of the fog that is covering the government's moves. HAMODI'A expresses the opinion that an observer from the sidelines would find it hard to understand how it is possible to bridge the gap betw'een the declaration that there is no intention for Israel and.Egypt to sign a separate peace and the hope that Syria and Jordan will join the Cairo conference as the peace process develops. OMER writes that it is hard to understand the basis for the prime minister's declared optimism at the press conference. The prime minister certainly knows many details which are not known to others, but it is doubtful if these details change the situation. For some reason, we have not heard that the Egyptians share Menahem Begin's optimism. The Jerusalem POST says that in one sphere there is total agreement between Egypt and Israel--and that is that the Soviet Union has been denied the right to play an active role in the process of negotiations in the region. In SHE'ARIM's opinion, the time has come to cut down on elation over the new situation and to begin to weigh the diplo- matic .advantages of an agreement with Egypt against the security problems that might be created. A balanced view of the advantages as opposed to the dangers is an essential condition for correct decisions. Afternoon Editorials. TA120911Y Jerusalem Domestic Service in Hebrew 0900 GMT 12 Dec 77 TA [Review of afternoon press editorials] [Text] MA'ARIV writes that the joint press conference excelled in what was not said. For example, how can President as-Sadat represent the views of all the Arabs at the Cairo conference when most are blacklisting him? What will Israel do if the PLO suddenly turns up at the conference? And might the conference lead to a separate peace with Egypt if Syria and Jordan do not participate. YEDI'OT AHARONOT quotes a senior American official in the Vance entourage who said that the Cairo conference is not the end in the Israeli-Arab dialog but a starting point. It is possible that at a certain stage a. separate agreement with Egypt might be achieved, but it would be an agreement including all the foundations of a comprehensive Israeli-Arab agreement covering territories that do not belong to Egypt and the Palestinian issue.
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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.