FBIS Coverage of the Middle East Peace Talks- 1978 September

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CA3? DAVID AGREEMENT DRAWS COMMENT, REACTION
Begin Interviewed
TA180707y Tel Aviv IDF Radio in Hebrew 0605 GMT 18 Sep 78 TA
Prom the Morning Newsreel) -
[Tex:] An hour ago Israeli Prime Ministe Menahem Begin ranted an interview to our /correspondent at the Camp David conference, ani W.essely. Mr Begin says,. this is a
turning point in the history of the nation. [begin recording]
£Question] Mr Begin, what agreement are you bringing with you now?
[Arswer] God willing, when I return home I will tell the public: We are bringing an
agreement which has honor and security.
[Question] According to the agreement signed today, a peace agreement with Egypt is to
be signed in 3 months. Will the removal of the settlements in Sinai be a condition for -
a peace agreement with the Egyptians?
(Answer] First of all, we undertook to sign a peace agreement during the next 3 months--
this does not necessarily mean at the end of 12 weeks. It is possible that we might do
this earlier. It is true that President as-Sadat raises a condition and this -isalso what
he wrote--in the signing of a peace treaty we should remove the settlements. We have not
undertaken such a condition. However, we stated that we would submit this matter for a
Knesset vote because the policy of removing the settlements goes against the governments
decisions, which was approved by the Knesset. Therefore, the delegation--the foreign
minister, the defense minister and myself and our aides--did not have the authority to
change this policy.
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Thus, our answer was that the matter would be submitted for a vote by the Knesset--and
we will allow a free vote; there will be no party discipline on this vote, and since the
coalition will allow a free vote I am sure that the oppositiop will do the same. Thus
all Knesset members will vote according to their conscience. Each, personally, will decide--
not according to the lineup of coalition and opposition--supporters of the government and
its opponents--but according to his conscience. The decision will be made in the freest -
manner possible with the Knesset. decision. being binding on all.
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[Question] Mr Prime Minister, have you decided how you will vote on this issue? -
[Answer] Were I able to tell you how I will vote then I would not. tell you because the
vote will be a free one--and I would be telling you how I would cast my vote.
I am still considering whether I will participate in the Knesset debate, because one of
the considerations is that I prefer that the Knesset really decide in a totally free
manner, and there is a possibility that I will keep silent, so that the Knesset will
decide without my influence.. Each according to his conscience.