244. Telegram From the Department of State to Selected Diplomatic Posts1
114888. Subject: Briefing on Dayan and Begin Visits.
1. Following is for use at your discretion in briefing senior host government officials on our latest round of talks with Begin and Dayan.
2. The Secretary held two days of talks with Dayan April 26 and 27.2 In all the discussions lasted some six hours. Our purpose is to help achieve enough agreement on a framework for a settlement so that other parties can become involved and negotiations can begin. Egypt and Israel have met in the context of the Military Committee of the Cairo Conference, so the objective in negotiating a declaration of principles is to provide guidelines for negotiations on other fronts as well. Discussion of the declaration has proceeded to a point where two main issues remain—the question of withdrawal and the shape of an approach to the Palestinian issue. In order to address these issues, it has been necessary to turn to the second item on the agenda of the Political Committee of the Cairo Conference—guidelines for negotiations on the issues relating to the West Bank and Gaza—to see whether discussion of practical solutions would produce understandings that might then be reflected in the declaration of principles. That is why the talk with Dayan focused almost exclusively on the West Bank and Gaza. From our talks with Dayan and earlier with the Egyptians we find parties in agreement on certain points, but there continue to be important differences. We are expecting further clarifications from the Israelis in regard to certain specific points. We feel the talks were useful, though in themselves they have not brought forward movement. FYI: You will have noted that word “progress” was not used to characterize talks in public statements by USG spokesman. End FYI.
3. Begin is in this country in response to invitations from American Jewish groups in connection with the celebration of Israel’s thirtieth anniversary. His visit to Washington was brief—he arrived in mid-morning and left in mid-afternoon May 1—and as much ceremonial as substantive, the high point being his attendance at a reception [Page 1135] given by the President for American Jewish leaders.3 Substantive conversations were brief and of general nature but we stressed the critical importance of moving forward quickly to resolve key problems in the negotiations.4
4. Of course Israeli thirtieth anniversary celebrations were the occasion for public reaffirmation of the close ties between Israel and the United States. Begin’s visit to Washington provided the opportunity for us to reassure Israel that the U.S. remains committed to its security as an important element in the search for a just and lasting peace in the Middle East. These however are long standing USG policies and their reaffirmation does not in any way imply a change in our policies on a Middle East settlement or in positions we have taken on the issues involved.
5. For all action Arab post addressees plus Amman: You should take opportunity to express to host government officials importance USG continues to attach to support for Sadat’s negotiating strategy. Exchanges between the two sides both directly and through us have laid bare the crucial issues and defined them in practical terms. These are not easy to resolve and it is not surprising that negotiations have reached point of temporary impasse. We are not discouraged, however. We are in active consultation with Sadat and Israelis on ways to break through and we believe we will succeed. In meantime intense debate is underway within Israel on Begin’s policies extending even to peace demonstrations involving tens of thousands of citizens. This process of creating internal movement toward more accommodating policies on the issues is as much an essential part of peace process as is the reconciliation of viewpoints through negotiations between the parties. That process takes time, and as it challenges established positions it is only natural that negotiating progress will be subjected to ups and downs. We are fortunate in having in Sadat a leader capable not only of courageous decisions but one who has a profound understanding of how political changes are brought about and of time element in this process. We are now at delicate stage in negotiations and it is highly important that our friends in Arab world, who share with us objective of achieving Middle East peace, not waver in their support for leadership role Sadat is playing. United States commitment to see negotiations through to a successful conclusion remains as firm as ever.
- Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D780192–0898. Secret; Priority; Exdis. Drafted by Sterner and Korn, cleared by Thomas Martin (S/S–O), and approved by Saunders. Sent to Beirut, Damascus, Jidda, Tehran, Kuwait, Manama, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Sana, Tunis, Rabat, Khartoum, London, Paris, Bonn, Bucharest, Belgrade, the Mission to NATO, Brussels, Brasilia, Caracas, Madrid, and USUN. Sent for information Priority to Cairo, Tel Aviv, Amman, Tripoli, Algiers, Baghdad, and Moscow.↩
- See Documents 240 and 241.↩
- According to the President’s Daily Diary, the reception took place from 2:02 to 3:48 p.m. on the South Grounds of the White House. (Carter Library, Presidential Materials, President’s Daily Diary) Carter’s and Begin’s remarks at the reception are in Public Papers: Carter, 1978, Book I, pp. 812–814.↩
- See Document 242.↩