261. Telegram From the Consulate General in Alexandria to the Department of State1
486. From Leonard USMEDEL 035. Subject: Alexandria Negotiations: Discussion of U.S. Role.
1. (S-entire text)
2. Summary: Second session of Alexandria autonomy talks2 were devoted almost entirely to Israeli questioning of U.S. role in the negoti[Page 865]ations, possible agreement(s), and implementation. (Dayan insisted that although U.S. is “full and equal” partner in negotiations, agreement under CDA must only come between Israel, Egypt and possibly Jordan and Palestinian representatives.) Egyptians insist joint Sadat/Begin letter3 to President effectively amends framework agreement, making clear U.S. is “full partner” in all stages of the negotiations. I argued the philosophical question of our relationship to any agreement coming from these negotiations need not be resolved at this time, and urged parties to get down to real issues. Dayan demurred; Israel will seek formal response4 from Washington on how we view our role. Recognizing Dayan may have good legal point in that our role is qualitatively different from that of Israel and Egypt, I, nevertheless, recommend that our answer be couched in language which will not lead Egyptians to conclude there will be any lessening of U.S. involvement. Egyptians already fear Israel is trying to make these negotiations bilateral, after having succeeded in isolating GOE within Arab world. It is likewise important that Israelis be given no grounds for later challenging U.S. participation or initiatives in the negotiations. End summary.
[Omitted here is the body of the telegram.]
- Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East, Subject File, Box 4, Autonomy Talks: 5–6/79. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Sent for information to Cairo, Jerusalem, and Tel Aviv. Printed from a corrected copy. Printed from a copy that indicates the original was received in the White House Situation Room.↩
- The Alexandria sessions of the autonomy talks opened at the San Stefano Hotel on June 11. Although the first meeting of the session was designed to deal largely with structural and procedural matters, a number of controversies came to the fore. Following a sharp exchange between the Israeli and Egyptian delegations over Israeli settlement policy, the first arose over whether the sessions would have a “chairman”—language favored by the Israelis—or a “host,” preside over the proceedings. A second “sharp difference of view” between the Israeli and Egyptian delegations occurred when Rosenne “casually mentioned that the participants in the talks were Egypt and Israel, with the U.S. ‘as an observer or full partner.’” The comment drew objections from Boutros Ghali and Khalil who stated the view that the United States was a full party to the talks. At Burg’s suggestion, the question of the U.S. role was deferred to the second session. (Telegram 485 from Alexandria, June 11; National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D790265–0079)↩
- See Document 239.↩
- See Document 264.↩