FBIS Coverage of the Middle East Peace Talks: 1977 December

PPROVED FOR RELEASE.CIA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS DIVISION AR 70-14 13N0V201
V. 27 Dec 77 D 15 EGYPT
The president listened attentively. And now the committees may have counterproposals
by Egypt, as it is natural in the process of negotiating peace treaties.
[Question] Bo'az Carr, Israel Features. Looking ahead beyond a peace settlement,
Inshallah, [Arabic for "God willing") can you tell us something about your long-termgrand design for peace? How you propose to satisfy your peoples. expectation of abetter life, of a renaissance in this Middle East, cradle of civilization? Are youin favor of cooperation in science, education, agriculture, industry trade and culturalexchanges between your two countries and eventually between Israel and the Arab world
as a whole?
[As-Sadat] Well, the two committees will start and, as I said, will report to the plenary,Let me say this: We are, as I have said before, working toward a comprehensive settle-ment in-the area here, and the nature of peace is on the agenda between both sides inthe two coni.ttees. All what you have entioned will be discussed in the coritt:1 .
[Begin] May I congratulate you Mr Carr on the poetry you read to us [laughter], and Ithink it is a very good vision, establish peace, all those good things you put intoyour question will be put into realization.
[Question] Shemu'el Segev of MA'ARIV. Mr President, in your introductory remarks yousaid that as far as Israel and Egypt are concerned, you made progress, but as far asthe West Bank is concerned, you stated the positions of both sides. Does that meanthat the gap between the two sides is unbridgeable?
[As-Sadat] Well, as much as we shall be continuing in the Cairo conference to discuss
whatever points of difference are between us, we shall continue, and, as Prime Minister
Begin says, if need be we shall meet again but I don't think that there is anything,
any gap, that can't be bridged.
[Question] My name is Rosenfeld, also from MA'ARIV. And the question is to you Mr
President. The word peace has been mentioned many times yesterday and today. I am
sorry that they had also to mention the word war, I would like to as Mr President
whether you agree to the opinion that Egypt holds the key not only to peace but also
to war and that without Egypt, no Arab country or no combination of Arab countries will
be able to wage war in the foreseeable future against Israel?
[As-Sadat] Maybe you have heard my speech. We were sincere in war and we are sincere
for peace. Take my visit to Jerusalem last November. We have agreed upon the fact that
we must sit together as civilized people and discuss whatever problems we have between
us, and let us agree upon the fact that the October should be the last war. Well, we
didn't differ upon this at all, and the continuation itself of our efforts will answer
all this.
[Question] But I asked about other Arab countries, whether the possibility exists to
wage war without Egypt.
[As-Sadat] Well, you have heard for sure in the Arab world and in this area that the
key to war and peace is in Egypt. This is a fact, a historical fact. Well, I can't
speak for anyone but I can say this.
[Question] President as-Sadat and Prime Minister Begin, Derrick Utley of NBC news.
There is evidently a serious disagreement over the question of the Palestinians and
the future of the West Bank, Mr President, do you think a solution can be found to
this West Bank Palestinian question without some sort of a role for the PLO?
e.