Office of the Historian

99. Memorandum From William B. Quandt of the National Security Council Staff to President Carter1

Washington, undated

SUBJECT

  • Status of Israeli-Egyptian Peace Talks

The Egyptian and Israeli delegations met2 with us today and by early afternoon agreement had been reached on a preamble and the entire treaty text, except for the annexes. The only language in dispute concerns the “priority of obligations” and there the difference is between Rosenne and Barak and not between the Egyptian and Israeli delegations. The Egyptians will accept either alternative proposed by the Israelis.

One new suggestion was made by Dayan this morning concerning the Egyptian commitment to send an ambassador within one month. The Egyptians are reluctant to make a public commitment on this point. He suggested that President Carter send a letter to Prime Minister Begin assuring him that President Sadat would send an ambas [Page 364] sador within one month. The Egyptians said that they would be prepared to give US an oral commitment, and that then we could send such a letter to the Israelis.

The military delegations met3 during the day and have reached agreement on the interim withdrawal line, with the exception of the northern sector. We will meet4 with the Egyptians tomorrow to go over the annex on normalization of relations. Roy Atherton and I are preparing draft letters to Sadat5 and Begin,6 and these should be ready Sunday7 morning.

Bill Quandt8
  1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East, Subject File, Box 15, Egypt-Israel Negotiations: 10/21–25/78. Secret; Eyes Only. Carter initialed “C” at the top of the memorandum. Printed from an uninitialed copy.↩
  2. According to telegram Tosec 120171/268678 to Cairo, Tel Aviv, and Vance in Moscow, October 22, Quandt, Hansell, and Atherton met with the Egyptian and Israeli delegations for a drafting session on October 21. The Department further summarized the specifics of the agreed treaty text, noting that resolution was still needed on the lines of final withdrawal on the treaty map, Annex I, Annex III, and the Egyptian-Israeli oil talks which had not yet begun. (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Office, Presidential Advisory Board, Box 72, Middle East: Box 3)↩
  3. No record of this meeting has been found.↩
  4. See Document 101.↩
  5. See footnote 5, Document 102.↩
  6. See Document 102.↩
  7. October 22.↩
  8. Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.↩