Date: 1981-04-03
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. the Secretary of State is embarking upon his first overseas diplomatic mission to one ofthe most troubled regions of the worldthe Middle East. I want to wish him the very best for a successful trip. News reports announcing the Secretarys trip emphasized his intention to heighten awareness among the moderate Arab States. such as Saudi Arabia. to the Soviet threat in the region and the U.S. resolve to respond firmly to that threat. However. as I am sure the Secretary will soon discover. he will be traveling to a region of the world which has markedly differing perceptions as to what are the threats to peace and stability in the area. The SWcretary will be traveling to the Middle East at a time when: .The EgyptIsraeli peace talks are at an impasse over the issue of Palestinian autonomy. Iran and Iraq are still locked into a seemingly intractable war which could threaten the Wests oil lifeline: Jordan and Syria have become increasingly hostile neighbors: The Soviets continue to accupy Afghanistan. and their presence and role in Ethiopia. South Yemen. and Libya is viewed with varying degrees of concern. The Israelis are in the midst of preparations for national elections in the early summer. and Lebanon continues to be torn asunder by a multitude of internal and external forces. In Saudi Arabia. the Secretary will find that resolution of the Palestinian question is high on that countrys agenda and the Saudis are deeply concerned over the potential spread of radical Islamic fundamentalism as espoused by the Khomeini regime in Iran. On the issue of the Middle East peace settlement. he will find the Saudis preoccupied by the formal annexation of Jerusalem as Israels eternal capital and the proliferation of settlements on the West Bank. In other words. ArabIsraeli issues will take precedence over the Soviet opupation of Afghanistan or the presence of a Marxist regime in South Yemen. In. Israel. the Secretary will find a country beset by serious economic difficulties. The price of oil. the need to replace strategic bases in the Sinai with ones in the Negev. and defense expenditures which comprise 40 percent of the Israeli budget have contributed to an inflation rate which is now estimated to be 140 percent a year. While the vast majority of Israelis favored the Camp David agreement and the EgyptIsraeli peace treaty. many are now wondering whether the economic price of peace has been too high. In addition. Israel is still confronted with terrorist raids. launched by the Palestinian Liberation Organization which has yet to retreat from its commitment to destroy the State of Israel. The administrations proposed sale of AWACS and enhancement of F15s previously sold to Saudi Arabia. has heightened concern in Israel that this would significantly increase Arab military capability. In Egypt. he will find a President who shares this administrations concern for Soviet influence in the region. In addition. the present stalemate in negotiations with Israel on the autonomy issue has created some internal difficulties for President Sadat. Jordan still views the Camp David agreement with suspicion. foreclosing any option to legitimate negotiations on the west bank and Palestinian issue. Thus. the Secretary of State will be visiting a region of the world which is highly complex in its politics. I am confident the Secretary will listen carefully to the concerns of all parties. I know that I am joined by all my colleagues in wishing him success.