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. 6 Dec 77 N 3 ISRAEL [Question] Is it a new shuttle diplomacy? [Answer] I do not think so. However, there is room to believe that this will be an opportunity to present each other with impressions about recent developments which are very .dramatic and even surprising to a certain extent. In addition 1 think that this constitutes a serious U.S. attempt and effort to bring additional Arab countries to the negotiating table with Israel. They have not become discouraged over this possibility. Therefore, I want to say that we welcome this visit by Secretary of State Vance in the region and in Israel. He will be received with great sympathy by the government, the Knesset and our people. I have no doubt about this. I am already telling him today; welcome to Israel. [end recording] Morning Editorials TA060756Y Jerusalem Domestic Service in Hebrew 0500 GMT 6 Dec 77 TA [From review of morning press editorials] [Excerpt] The upcoming visit of U.S. Secretary of State Cyrus Vance to Israel at the end of this week and developments at the Tripoli conference are the main subjects this morning. DAVAR writes that Vance's visit bears evidence of the fact that, even under the new circumstances in our region, the United States will continue to play a first-rank role in the Middle East and in endeavors to settle the Israeli-Arab conflict. HA'AREZ says it goes without saying that the U.S..secretary of state is a welcome visitor here at any time. Vance's intention to persuade Jordan and Syria not to absent themselves from the meetings the Egyptian president has called in Cairo should be welcomed. The prospect of direct negotiations between us and Egypt, and perhaps also with Jordan or even with Syria, has a strong attraction, encouraging a feeling of independence in Israel, a feeling not altogether different from that which is being felt in Egypt. 1AL HAMISHMAR writes that it will be impossible to postpone our moment of truth or to avoid adopting resolutions, which is especially difficult for the present Israeli cabinet. Recent developments have confronted the cabinet with a most difficult dilemma: to offer our contributions for the great prospect toward a peace settlement, or to cut .off that prospect while it is still in the bud. Unfortunately, the paper adds, there is no indication yet of the way the Israeli Government intends to take if it wishes to advance the prospects of peace. HAZOFE believes Vance will see in the course of his visit in the Middle East an Arab world immersed in a rift among Egypt, which favors political negotiations even while postulating its grave principles; Syria, which rejects serious negotiations; and the most extreme rejectionist countries, which are subject to Soviet influence. The U.S. state secretary will also be able to see the PLO and all its consistently murderous and destructive instincts. Afternoon Papers TA060940Y Jerusalem Domestic Service in Hebrew 1000 GMT 6 Dec 77 TA [Review of afternoon press editorials] [Text] Both papers contemplate moves expected in the Middle East by the end of the week.
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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.