UNCLASSIFIED

[Y]

O 221832Z MAR 75 ZFFA
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMCONSUL JERUSALEM IMMEDIATE 8243
BT
UNCLAS
STATE 065423

TOSEC 938

E.O. 11652:N/A

TAGS: OVIP (KISSINGER, HENRY A.), SOPN, XF
SUBJECT: COMBINED MEDIA REPORT, MARCH 22

FOR AMBASSADOR ANDERSON FROM S/PRS

NO. 42

WIRES:

1. AP -- MORNING LEAD SCHWEID FROM JERUSALEM, SAYS "BASIC PROBLEMS' WERE LEFT UNSETTLED AFTER HAK MET WITH ISRAELI NEGOTIATORS. PERES ASKED FOR PATIENCE AFTER 1/2 HOUR CABINET MEETING AND SUBSEQUENT TALKS WITH HAK. KEY ISSUE LEFT APPEARS TO BE DEPTH OF ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL, AND WHETHER PASSES AND OIL FIELDS WOULD BE INCLUDED. HAK PLANNED SIGHTSEEING AT MASADA, SAYING SHUTTLE WILL CONTINUE "AS LONG AS THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF BRIDGING A GAP BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES." PERES DENIED RUMORS OF MILITARY CALLUP. DAYAN CITED IN JERUSALEM POST THAT TWO SIDES CLOSER THAN EVER BEFORE. FAHMY QUOTED IN ASWAN LAYING RESPONSIBILITY FOR FAILURE OF TALKS TO ISRAEL, SAYING "EGYPT IS DOING ITS BEST."

2. UPI -- FROM JERUSALEM SAYS HAK TRIED TO SPEED UP NEGOTIATIONS, MEETING WITH RABIN LATE FRIDAY NIGHT TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE PLEDGES FROM CAIRO. HAK WILL CONTACT ASWAN THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS WHILE STAYING IN ISRAEL TODAY, TO RELAY

ISRAELI QUESTIONS ON PLEDGE POSSIBILITIES. SATURDAY NIGHT HAK WILL MEET WITH NEGOTIATORS BEFORE 5TH AND POSSIBLY DECISIVE SHUTTLE TO ASWAN. TALKS NOW BORDERING ON DEAD-LOCK. FAHMY IN ASWAN CITED AS ABOVE. ARAFAT IN DAMASCUS SAID PROPOSED UNION OF SYRIA AND PLO DESIGNED TO FOIL HAK.

RADIO:

MARVIN KALB, CBS RADIO ("FIRST-LINE REPORT") -- AFTER SUMMARY OF PARIS AGREEMENT AND NEW COMMUNIST OFFENSIVE, KALB DISCUSSES A PARALLEL: "... APPARENTLY HANOI REACHED A DECISION TO GO FOR BROKE ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT IT COULD DO SC ON THE CHEAP. IT LOOKS AS THOUGH THAT ASSUMPTION WAS VALID. . . KISSINGER. SEEMS AMAZED THAT IT HASN'T COLLAPSED ALREADY. THE COMMUNIST DRIVE HAPPENS TO COINCIDE IN A VERY IRONIC WAY WITH KISSINGER'S SHUTTLE. NEGOTIATION AIMED AT ACIEVING A SINAI AGREEMENT BETWEEN EGYPT AND ISRAEL. KISSINGER SUSPECTS THAT THE EVENTS IN INDOCHINA WILL CAST A LONG, NEGATIVE SHADOW OVER THE

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MIDDLE EAST, COMPLICATING HIS EFFORTS IN AT LEAST TWO WAYS. ON THE ISRAELI SIDE THERE ARE QUESTIONS NOW ABOUT THE DURABILITY OF AMERICAN COMMITMENTS. IF, FOR EXAMPLE, THE SINAI AGREEMENT IS BASED ON A PRIVATE AMERICAN ASSURANCE ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER THAT THE AGREEMENT WILL BE KEPT, HOW CAN ISRAEL BANK ON THAT AMERICAN ASSURANCE? OR PUT ANOTHER WAY, WHY SHOULD SHE? ON THE ARAB SIDE THERE IS A GROWTH OF SELF-CONFIDENCE BORN OF THE NOTION THAT IF THE U.S. COULD TIRE OF SUPPORTING CAMBODIA AND SOUTH VIET-NAM, SHE MIGHT ALSO TIRE OF SUPPORTING ISRAEL -- PERHAPS NOT IMMEDIATELY BUT SOONER THAN LATER. THEREFORE, WHY MAKE CONCESSIONS FOR A DEAL? IN A SHORT TIME ISRAEL WILL COLLAPSE WHEN DEPRIVED OF AMERICAN SUPPORT AND ARMS. ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS ARGUMENT THERE IS OBVIOUS EXAGGERATION: ISRAEL IS NOT CAMBODIA, CONGRESS HAS A DIFFERENT FEELING FOR ISRAEL THAN SHE HAS FOR INDOCHINA, AND ISRAEL IS NOT ASSOCIATED IN THE AMERICAN MIND WITH THE SPENDING AND WASTING OF BILLIONS IN AMERICAN TREASURE AND HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS IN AMERICAN LIVES. BUT THESE LOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS TO ONE SIDE, THE INDOCHINA PARALLEL HAUNTS EVERYONE IN THIS NEGOTIATION. IT DOES NOT MEAN THERE CAN BE NO AGREEMENT BECAUSE OF INDOCHINA; IT DOES MEAN IT MAKES EVERYTHING MUCH MORE COMPLICATED AND EVERYTHING IS COMPLICATED ENOUGH WITHOUT INDOCHINA THROWING DUST IN EVERYONE'S EYES."

NEWSPAPERS (ONLY NYTIMES, WASHFOST AND BALTSUM AVAILABLE):

1. NYTIMES: GWERIZM ON FRONT PAGE SAYS TALKS FOCUS ON HOW MUCH TERRITORY TO BE RETURNED IN EXCHANGE FOR EGYPTIAN ASSURANCES THAT FALL SHORT OF ORIGINAL ISRAEL DEMAND. ASSURANCES THAT FALL SHORT OF ORIGINAL ISRAEL DEMAND.

NEWSMEN ON PLANE WERE TOLD THAT SADAT MADE CONCESSIONS BUT APPARENTLY REJECTED SMALLER WITHDRAWAL THAN ASKED FOR. HAK BELIEVES NEXT THREE DAYS DECISIVE; NEWSMEN TOLD THAT ACCORD OR FAILURE COULD COME SOON. VARIOUS PARTS OF AGREEMENT AT OR NEAR TENTATIVE UNDERSTANDING, BUT PASSES AND OIL FIELDS IN EXCHANGE FOR NONBELLIGERENCY REMAINS UNRESOLVED. SADAT OFFERED SMALLER PLEDGE, ISRAEL OFFERED SMALLER WITHDRAWAL. SADAT NEEDS PASSES TO JUSTIFY TALKING WITH ISRAEL ALONE.

NEWSMEN TOLD OF DEVELOPMENTS IN LAST TWO WEEKS: (A) DECLARATION RENOUNCING FORCE TO BE MADE PUBLIC; (B) FREED TERRITORY TO BE DEMILITARIZED AND MANNED BY UN FORCES; (C) UN FORCE WOULD HAVE MANDATE LONGER THAN SIX MONTHS, BUT FINITE; (D) ACCORD TO BE CARRIED OUT IN PHASES LASTING SEVERAL MONTHS, WITH DETAILS TO BE ARRANGED AFTER AGREEMENT; (E) THE AGREEMENT WOULD STAND ON ITS OWN, NOT DEPEND ON GENEVA. RABIN GOVERNMENT UNDER PRESSURE IF IT CEDES PASSES AND OIL FIELDS WITHOUT OBTAINING SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS TOWARDS NORMALIZING RELATIONS. HAK ARGUES THAT SADAT BEING VERY FLEXIBLE, CONSIDERING. NEWSMEN ON PLANE TOLD DEADLOCK WOULD RESULT IF NO MAJOR CONCESSION FORTHCOMING. (FRONT PAGE AP PHOTO OF HAK AND SISCO ON PLANE.)

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2. WASHPOST -- BERGER ON PAGE 13 LEADS WITH EXTRAORDINARY NATURE OF SABBATH SESSION BY CABINET; ONLY PREVIOUS OCCASION WAS DURING YOM KIPPUR WAR. DECISION TO MEET TAKEN WHEN EGYPTIAN OFFER DETERMINED TO BE INSUFFICIENT, NO NEED TO KEEP HAK IN SUSPENSE OR APPEAR TO BE STALLING. CABINET SEARCHING FOR BASIS TO KEEP TALKS GOING. HAK KNOWN TO BE DISMAYED AT "GLACIAL SLOWNESS" OF MOVEMENT ON BOTH SIDES; GAP IS BEING NARROWED, BUT NOTHING ASSURES IT WILL BE CLOSED. MAIN ISSUE IS WHAT PIECE OF LAND FOR SADAT'S PIECE OF PEACE. MOBILIZATION REPORTED IN ISRAEL AND DENIED BY PERES. HAK REPORTED TO HAVE USED MAPS WITH SADAT, AND

TO HAVE WRITTEN STATEMENTS OF OPPOSING POSITIONS. BERGER REFERS TO SAME POINTS AS GWERTZMAN (ABOVE), AS HEARD ON THE PLANE.

3. BALTSUN -- MILLS ON FIRST PAGE SAYS CABINET MET AMID ENCOURAGING SIGNS. SABBATH MEETING UNDERSCORED URGENCY OF TOPIC, BUT NO SOLID DETAILS AS TO DISCUSSION. HAK CITED SAYING HE WAS "NOT PREPARED" TO SAY AN AGREEMENT IS CLOSE. REPORTERS ON PLANE LEFT WITH IMPRESSION THAT "A MORE MO-DEST AGREEMENT THAN ORIGINALLY ENVISIONED IS NOW UNDER DISCUSSION." MAJOR POINTS CITED BY BERGER AND GWERTZMAN REPEATED BY MILLS.

INGERSOLL

UNCLASSIFIED

0 220055Z MAR 75 ZFF4

FM SECSTATE WASHDC

TO AMCONSUL JERUSALEM IMMEDIATE 0207-8208 Prts

BT

UNCLAS

STATE 065279

TOSEC 912

E.O. 11652: N/A

TAGS: OVIP (KISSINGER, HENRY A.), SOPN, XF
SUBJECT: COMBINED MEDIA REPORT, MARCH 21, EVENING

NO. 41

WIRES:

1. AP AFTERNOON LEAD SCHWEID FROM JERUSALEM SAYS ISRAEL AND EGYPT REPORTED NEAR AGREEMENT ON FOUR ELEMENTS OF AGREEMENT, BUT DEPTH OF ISRAELI PULLBACK STILL UNRESOLVED. HAK QUOTED "THERE IS STILL A GAP."

AGREEMENT REPORTED NEAR ON FOLLOWING POINTS:

--"CERTAIN ASSURANCES" FROM BOTH SIDES TO US, SOME PRIVATE AND SOME PUBLIC

--MUTUAL OBLIGATION AGAINST RECOURSE TO FORCE FROM BOTH SIDES

--ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL DONE IN STAGES

--UN FORCES TO TAKE OVER MOST BUT NOT ALL OF FREE D TERRITORY.

US OFFICIALS CAUTIONED THAT DEADLOCK STILL POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY OVER WITHDRAWAL LINE. HIGH US OFFICIAL SAID, "WE'RE NOT AT THE BRINK OF AN AGREEMENT." BOTH SIDES EASING THEIR STANDS AND HAK REPORTED CLOSER TO A FRAMEWORK FOR AGREEMENT. DAYAN CITED FROM JERUSALEM POST THAT PEACE WITH ARABS CLOSER THAN EVER BEFORE, US AND USSR NOT WILLING TO SETTLE FOR CEASE-FIRE: BOTH WANT A SETTLEMENT. HAK IS BEST MEDIATOR. (NO UPI SINCE NOON)

2. ABC EVENING NEWS, REASONER, 5 MINUTES INTO PROGRAM REPORTED THAT IN THE ME HAK IS REORTED TO BE MAKING CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS IN WORKING ON A NEW SINAI DIS-ENGAGEMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN EGYPT AND ISRAEL. DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENT TED KOPPEL REPORTS:

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KOPPEL: HAK, THE ONE WHO COULD ALWAYS BE COUNTED UPON FOR A SNAPPY "FRUITFUL, CONSTRUCTIVE, OR BUSINESSLIKE" ARRIVAL OR DEPARTURE STATEMENT, HAS ALL BUT DISAPPEARED. HIS THOUGHTS NOW ARE ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY REFLECTED BY THAT NONE-TOO-MYSTERIOUS BUT STILL UNIDENTIFIED SENIOR US OFFICIAL ABOARD HIS PLANE. AN AGREEMENT, IN OTHER WORDS, IS CLOSE ENOUGH THAT HAI DOESN'T WANT TO JEOPARDIZE IT BY INCAUTIOUS COMMENTS ON THE RECORD.

LAST NIGHT IN ASWAN, PRESIDENT SADAT COLLABORATED IN THE SILENCE. BUT HIS SPOKESMAN, AMBASSADOR BASHIR LENT SUPPORT TO THE GROWING FEELING THAT COMPROMISE IS IN THE AIR.

(FILM CLIP OF PRESS CONF.) Q. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THIS AGREEMENT COULD BE IMPLEMENTED IN PHASES, WITHIN A LIMITED PERIOD OF TIME? BASHIR: IF THE PHASES HELP THE ISRAELIS, AND WHETHER THEY ARE VERY SHORT IN TIME, AND THEY ARE NOT JUST A TACTIC OF OBSTRUCTION OF THE WAY, MAYBE THESE COULD BE ACCOMMODATED IN THE AGREEMENT.

KOPPEL: THERE HAS ALREADY BEEN COMPROMISE ON THE FOLLOWING POINTS: ISRAEL HAS REPORTEDLY DROPPED ITS INSISTENCE ON AN EGYPTIAN PLEDGE OF NON-BELLIGERENCY, IN EXCHANGE FOR A MAJOR WITHDRAWAL FROM THE SINAI. THE TERM THAT HAS BEEN AGREED UPON IS A "NO RECOURSE TO FORCE" PLEDGE, WHICH IS LESS BINDING FROM THE LEGAL POINT OF VIEW. A NUMBER OF COMMITMENTS, WHICH THE TWO SIDES ARE UNWILLING TO GIVE ONE ANOTHER DIRECTLY, FOR EXAMPLE EGYPT DROPPING THE ECONOMIC BOYCOTT AGAINST ISRAEL, SUCH COMMITMENTS WILL NOW BE MADE INDIRECTLY, THROUGH THE US. MOST OF THE TERRITORY THAT ISRAEL EVENTUALLY VACATES IN THE SINAI WOULD, UNDER THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT, BE OCCUPIED BY UN FORCES. WORK HAS ALREADY BEGUN ON DRAWING THE PRECISE LINES OF AN ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL.

THIS AFTERNOON, HAK MET THE ISRAELI NEGOTIATING TEAM, THEN WENT INTO SESSION WITH THE FULL ISRAELI CABINET. HAK BROKE HIS PUBLIC SILENCE TO ALMOST ANSWER A REPORTER'S QUESTION AS TO WHETHER THE GAP HAS BEEN NARROWED.

HAK: GAPS CAN NARROW AND STILL REMAIN, AND THERE'S STILL A GAP.

KOPPEL: FOLLOWING THE CABINET MEETING, KISSINGER AND THE ISRAELI NEGOTIATING TEAM CONVENED AGAIN DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE JEWISH SABBATH HAS BEGUN. TOMORROW, KISSINGER RETURNS TO EGYPT.

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3. NBC NIGHTLY NEWS, TWELVE MINUTES AFTER START:
TBROKAW: SECRETARY KISSINGER MET TODAY WITH THE ISRAELI CABINET. THE CABINET MEETING CONTINUED PAST THE BEGINNING OF THE ISRAELI SABBATH, AND THAT BROUGHT SPECULATION THAT A VERY IMPORTANT DECISION WAS BEING TAKEN. BUT VALERIANI, WHO IS TRAVELLING WITH HAK. REPORTS THAT THE SECRETARY IS PESSIMISTIC ABOUT A NEW TROOP PULLBACK AGREEMENT BETWEEN ISRAEL AND EGYPT, AFTER TWO WEEKS OF HIS SHUTTLE DIPLOMACY. (NO VALERIANI)

4. CBS NEWS, 14 MINUTES INTO SHOW: ROGER MUDD: HAK FLEW FROM EGYPT TO ISRAEL TODAY TO TRY TO GET BOTH SIDES CLOSER CLOSER TO ANOTHER SINAI AGREEMENT. PROSPECTS ARE BRIGHTER THAN THEY WERE EARLIER IN THE DAY, BECAUSE OF SOME LAST MINUTE CONCESSIONS FROM SADAT.

KALB: THEY EGYPTIAN LEADER AGREED TO DEMILITARIZE MOST OF THE AREAS ISRAEL WILL EVACULATE. HE ALSO AGREED TO A LONG MANDATE FOR THE UN POLICE FORCE. AND ON THE KEY MANGUP HOW TO RELATE THE ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL TO AN EGYPTIAN PLEDGE OF NOW WAR, THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS, BUT STILL NOT ENOUGH TO CLOSE THE GAP.

KISSINGER RETURNED TO JERUSALEM TODAY, KNOWING HE'S AS CLOSE TO A BREAKTHROUGH IN THIS NEGOTIATION AS HE IS TO A BREAKDOWN. MUCH DEPENDED ON ISRAEL'S REACTION TO EGYPT'S LATEST IDEAS. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY THE SECRETARY WENT INTO CONFERENCE WITH PM RABIN. FOR THE FIRST TIME, MAPS OF THE SINAI WERE BROUGHT INTO THE ROOM, SUGGESTING KISSINGER HAD CERTAIN IDEAS ABOUT WHERE THE LINE OF ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL WAS TO BE DRAWN. CLEARLY TO THE EAST OF THE TWO STRATEGIC PASSES AND THE OILFIELDS, MEANING ISRAEL WOULD GIVE THEM UP, IN EXCHANGE FOR SOME KIND OF AN EGYPTIAN PLEDGE THAT STOPS SHORT OF NON-BELLIGERENCY, PROMISES A PERIOD OF NONAGRESSION. HAK'S COMPROMISE PHRASE IS "NON-RECOURSE TO FORCE." FOR RABIN, TO ACCEPT THIS COMPROMISE REQUIRED AN EXTRAORDINARY SESSION OF THE ISRAELI CABINET, ALL THE MORE EXTRAORDINARY SINCE IT TOOK PLACE ON THE SABBATH. RABIN THEN PLANNED MEETING WITH HAK AGAIN, AGAIN THAT NEGOTIATION HAS NOW REACHED THE MAKE OR BREAK POINT. THE TENSION WILL SNAP THIS WEEKEND, ONE WAY OR THE OTHER...

LATE PAPERS:

LA TIMES RESTON AND DRUMMOND REPORT THURSDAY'S ISRAELI PROPOSALS AND HAK TRIP TO ASWAN ON PAGE 1.

BALTIMORE NEWS AMERICAN PAGE 2 WALLACH STORY
HEADLINE: "HAK MAY MEET SOVIETS ON ME".

NO NEW INSIGHTS IN ARTICLE

INGERSOLL

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

O 211903Z MAR 75 ZFF4
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMCONSUL JERUSALEM IMMEDIATE 8154
BT
UNCLAS
STATE 064366

TOSEC 882

E.O. 11652: N/A
TAGS: OVIP (KISSINGER, HENRY A.)
SUBJECT: COMBINED MEDIA REPORT, MORNING, MARCH 21, 1975

FOR AMBASSADOR ANDERSON FROM 3/PRS
NO. 39

SUMMARY: HAK RETURNS ISRAEL WITH REPORTEDLY THREE TO FOUR MAJOR ELEMENTS AGREEMENT CLOSE BEING SETTLED. BOTH ISRAEL & EGYPT SAID EASING POSITION AND HAK CLOSE TO FRAMEWORK FOR AGREEMENT. OTHER U.S. OFFICIALS CAUTION COUNTRIES NOT YET ON BRINK OF AGREEMENT. SENATOR BUCKLEY URGES HAK BREAK OFF ME DIPLOMACY AND RETURN WASHINGTON RE SIT PORTUGAL.

WIRES

1. AP - SCHWEID - JERUSALEM: HAK RETURNED FROM EGYPT TODAY WITH FOUR MAJOR ELEMENTS OF A SINAI AGREEMENT CLOSE TO BEING SETTLED, U.S. OFFICIALS SAID.

STILL UNRESOLVED, HOWEVER, WAS THE PRINCIPAL ISSUE OF HOW FAR ISRAEL WILL PULL BACK AND WHETHER IT WILL GIVE UP THE MITLA AND GIDI PASSES AND THE ABU RUDEIS OIL FIELD, NEWSMEN WERE TOLD.

"WE ARE NOT AT THE BRINK OF AN AGREEMENT," ONE OFFICIAL SAID AS HAK FLEW IN FROM ASWAN FOR A MEETING HERE WITH THE ISRAELI NEGOTIATING TEAM.

THE KEY ITEMS NEARING COMPLETION ARE:

-- BOTH SIDES WOULD GIVE 'CERTAIN ASSURANCES' ONLY TO THE UNITED STATES WHILE OTHERS WOULD BE MADE PUBLIC.

-- A MUTUAL OBLIGATION BY ISRAEL AND EGYPT THAT THEY WOULD NOT RESORT TO FORCE. THAT IS A MODIFICATION OF THE NON-BELLIGERENCY PLEDGE SOUGHT BY ISRAEL BUT TURNED DOWN BY SADAT.

-- THE ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL -- HOWEVER DEEP IT IS -- WOULD BE CARRIED OUT IN A NUMBER OF STEPS.

-- A UN FORCE WOULD TAKE OVER MOST -- BUT NOT ALL -- OF THE TERRITORY GIVEN UP BY ISRAEL.

AMERICAN OFFICIALS ABOARD HAK'S JET CAUTIONED THAT THE NEGOTIATIONS COULD STILL DEADLOCK, PARTICULARLY OVER THE WITHDRAWAL LINE.

HOWEVER, EVEN ON THIS CONTESTED POINT, SLOW PROGRESS IS BEING CLAIMED. AT BOTH ENDS OF THE 'DIPLOMATIC SHUTTLE' THE MILITARY CHIEFS OF STAFF ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE TALKS AND THE TWO SIDES ARE WORKING WITH HAK OVER MAPS.

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BOTH ISRAEL AND EGYPT WERE SAID TO BE "EASING" THEIR OVERALL NEGOTIATING POSITIONS, AND HAK IS NOW REPORTED CLOSE TO A "FRAMEWORK" FOR AN AGREEMENT.

2. UPI - TEL AVIV: A SENIOR OFFICIAL ON HAK'S PLANE TODAY SAID THE NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN EGYPT AND ISRAEL ARE AT A POINT WHERE ONE DECISION BY EITHER SIDE COULD SOLVE THE MAIN ISSUE OF HOW FAR ISRAEL WILL WITHDRAW IN THE SINAI DESERT.

HAK FLEW BACK TO ISRAEL FROM EGYPT TODAY, SAYING THERE WAS PROGRESS IN THE TALKS BUT STILL NO BASIC AGREEMENT ON THE EXTENT OF AN ISRAELI TROOP WITHDRAWAL.

HAK SAID HE EXPECTED TO KNOW WITHIN THE NEXT 72 HOURS WHETHER HIS SHUTTLE DIPLOMACY MISSION WILL SUCCEED.

... IF THE ISRAELI LEADERS CAN GIVE HIM AN ANSWER FOR SADAT WITHOUT CALLING A CABINET MEETING, HAK EXPECTED TO FLY BACK TO EGYPT SATURDAY, THE JEWISH SABBATH. IF A CABINET MEETING IS REQUIRED, HIS RETURN WAS EXPECTED SUNDAY.

THE NEGOTIATIONS WERE AT THE POINT WHERE BOTH SIDES HAVE PRESENTED WRITTEN STATEMENTS AND LINES ARE BEING DRAWN ON MAPS, THE SENIOR OFFICIAL SAID.

OTHER AMERICAN OFFICIALS CAUTIONED THAT THE TWO COUNTRIES WERE NOT YET ON THE BRINK OF FINAL AGREEMENT.

## RADIO

1. VALERIANI, NBC RADIO, ISRAEL: JUST BEFORE HAK LANDED, ONE OF HIS TOP AIDES EMPHASIZED THAT EGYPT AND ISRAEL ARE NOT ON THE BRINK OF AN AGREEMENT AND HE ADVISED NEWSMEN TO PLAY IT DOWN THE MIDDLE IN EVALUATING THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE TALKS. ...

2. KALB, CBS RADIO, ISRAEL: FIRST, THE TIME-FRAME IN WHICH THE UN POLICE FORCE WOULD BE EMPOWERED TO FUNCTION IN THE DEMILITARIZED ZONE BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES; THAT IS NO LONGER CONSIDERED TO BE A MAJOR HANG-UP. SECOND, MOST OF THE AREAS TO BE EVACUATED BY ISRAEL WILL BE DEMILITARIZED, AND THIRD AND MOST SIGNIFICANT, NON-BELLIGERENCY. ISRAEL WANTED THAT TO BE PUBLIC, EGYPT WAS REJECTED A PUBLIC PLEDGE. SO, A POSSIBLE COMPROMISE FORMULA IS NOW BEING CONDIERED, NON-BELLIGERENCY WOULD BE CALLED A NON-RECOURSE TO FORCE. TWO QUESTIONS-- THE POLITICAL QUESTION IS WHETHER RABIN CAN ACCEPT THIS SOFTER FORMULA AND SURVIVE POLITICALLY IN EXCHANGE FOR ISRAEL GIVING UP TWO STRATEGIC PASSES AND THE OIL FIELD IN THE SINAI. THE MILITARY QUESTION IS EXACTLY WHERE TO DRAW THE LINE OF DEEPEST ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL. THE DEEPER IT GOES THE TOUGHER IT WILL BE FOR RABIN TO ACCEPT THE SOFTER FORMULA ON NON-BELLIGERENCY. THE NEGOTIATION IS NOW DOWN TO THE LINE.

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NEWSPAPERS

1. NYTIMES-GWERTZMAN, PAGE - TWO COLUMN PIC WITH CAPTION ISRAELI WOMEN, PROTESTING CHARACTER NEGOTIATIONS WITH EGYPT BEING REMOVED IN FRONT KING DAVID HOTEL WHERE HAK STAYING. TEXT EXCERPTS: HAK BROUGHT MODIFIED ISRAELI

PROPOSALS FOR A NEW SINAI AGREEMENT TO PRESIDENT SADAT TONIGHT, AND THE NEGOTIATIONS WERE APPARENTLY AT A DECISIVE STAGE.

FOLLOWING TWO AND A HALF HOURS OF TALKS, AN EGYPTIAN SPOKESMAN SAID SADAT HAD GIVEN EGYPT'S COUNTERPROPOSALS IMMEDIATELY TO HAK AND SAID: "WE STILL HAVE MANY DIFFICULTIES TO TACKLE."

... HAK WAS GIVEN THE ISRAELI PROPOSALS, DESCRIBED AS A MODIFICATION OF THEIR PREVIOUS POSITION BY RABIN FOLLOWING 14 HOURS OF ISRAELI CABINET DISCUSSIONS OVER THE LAST TWO DAYS.

AMERICAN OFFICIALS SAID THAT HAK WAS UNCERTAIN WHETHER THE LATEST EXCHANGES, BEGINNING THE FOURTH ROUND OF THIS "DIPLOMATIC" SHUTTLE, WOULD BE ENOUGH FOR A BREAKTHROUGH IN THE NEARLY TWO WEEKS OF NEGOTIATIONS.

REPORTERS ABOARD HAK'S AIR FORCE BOEING 707 WERE TOLD DURING THE FLIGHT TO ASWAN THAT HAK WAS "NEITHER UPBEAT, NOR DOWNBEAT, BUT ONLY SEAT." ...

ISRAEL AND EGYPT HAVE BEEN AT ODDS OVER ISRAEL'S REFUSAL TO AGREE TO WITHDRAALS IN SINAI FROM THE STRATEGIC MITLA AND GIDI PASSES AND THE ABU RUDEIS OILFIELD, AS DEMANDED BY EGYPT, UNLESS SADAT AGREED TO STEPS UNDER THE GENERAL HEADING OF NONBELLIGERENCY THAT WOULD IN EFFECT TAKE EGYPT OUT OF THE ARAB STATE OF WAR AGAINST ISRAEL.

IN AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT LAST NIGHT, ISSUED HERE WHILE THE ISRAELI CABINET WAS MEETING TO DISCUSS THE DIPLOMATIC SITUATION, EGYPT AGAIN RULED OUT ENDING THE STATE OF BELLIGERENCY IN THIS STAGE OF NEGOTIATIONS AND SAID SHE HAD TO AWAIT FINAL PEACE.

BUT IN AN APPARENT EFFORT TO MEET SOME OF THE ISRAELI DEMANDS, EGYPT STRESSED THAT A DISENGAGEMENT AGREEMENT WOULD BE A STEP TOWARD PEACE. THE STATEMENT, FOR THE FIRST TIME, PLEDGED EGYPT NOT TO RESORT TO FORCE WHILE A DISENGAGEMENT ACCORD WAS STILL "VALID."

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THE EGYPTIAN STATEMENT WAS RECEIVED COOLY IN ISRAEL, BUT HAK AND HIS AIDES BELIEVED IT WAS A DOCUMENT WORTHY OF STUDY.

REPORTERS TRAVELING WITH HAK WERE TOLD THAT TIME WAS RUNNING OUT FOR THE SHUTTLE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND EGYPT.

THEY WERE TOLD THAT THE TALKS MIGHT FAIL UNLESS THERE WAS "GIVE" IN EACH SIDE'S POSITION. THIS GAVE A SENSE OF URGENCY TO HAK'S TRIP TONIGHT, EVEN THOUGH THE SECRETARY TOOK A LOW-KEY PUBLIC APPROACH. ...

THERE WERE SEVERAL RUMORS IN THE KING DAVID HOTEL IN JERUSALEM TODAY, WHERE HAK'S PARTY STAYS, THAT HE WOULD END HIS MISSION THIS WEEKEND. BUT THERE WAS NO OFFICIAL CONFIRMATION OF THIS. ...

2. BALTSUN - MILLS PAGE 4 REPORTS HAK MISSION AT CRUCIAL POINT.

3. BALT NEWS AMER - WALLACH REPORTS SAME (PAGE 2).

4. WASHPOST-BERGER-PAGE 24: (ASWAN) WITH A NEW ME AGREE-MENT STILL HANGING IN THE BALANCE HAK HAS DELIVERED NEW ISRAELI PROPOSALS THAT WERE THE PRODUCT OF 14 HOURS OF DELIBERATION TO SADAT AND RECEIVED AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE.

FOLLOWING A MEETING BETWEEN HAK AND SADAT, AN EGYPTIAN SPOKESMAN SAID THAT "MANY DIFFICULTIES" STILL REMAIN TO BE TACKLED, BUT ADDED THAT THE TALKS ARE NOT BREAKING DOWN ...

... THE CONTENTION ON THE HAK PLANE IS THAT THE GAP BETWEEN EGYPT AND ISRAEL WILL HAVE TO BE NARROWED FAIRLY SOON, ALTHOUGH THE IMPRESSION WAS LEFT THAT IF THE TWO SIDES CONTINUE TO SHOW SOME MOVEMENT HAK WILL KEEP TRYING TO REACH AN AGREEMENT.

YET THERE ARE SIGNS THAT INDICATED AN AGREEMENT IS POSSIBLE.

FIRST OF ALL, HAK HAS INVESTED A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT. A PROLONGED ABSENCE FROM WASHINGTON AT A TIME WHEN CAMBODIA AND SOUTH VIETNAM ARE FALLING APART COULD SUBJECT HIM TO INCREASED CRITICISM IF HIS CURRENT ENDEAVOR SHOULD FAIL.

ISRAEL, AFTER AN EXCRUCIATING CABINET DEBATE, CAME UP WITH NEW FORMULATIONS YESTERDAY IN AN EFFORT TO ACCOMMODATE EGYPTIAN DEMANDS. AND EGYPT PUT OUT A STATEMENT WEDNESDAY THAT AMERICAN OFFICIALS CHARACTERIZED AS SIGNIFICANT ...

... ISRAELI SOURCES SAID THE EGYPTIAN PROPOSALS THEY RECEIVED LAST WEEK DID NOT GO FAR ENOUGH TOWARD A POLITICAL COMMITMENT TO END THE STATE OF WAR.

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IN THE ISRAELI VIEW, SADAT IS DEMANDING AN ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL FROM THE SINAI MOUNTAIN PASSES AND THE OIL FIELDS AT ABU RUDEIS, WITHOUT BEING WILLING TO GIVE ANYTHING IN RETURN.

SOURCES IN ISRAEL SAY HAWKS AND DOVES ARE UNITED IN THEIR DEMAND FOR EGYPTIAN POLITICAL CONCESSIONS. IT WAS UNDERSTOOD THAT THE CABINET DEBATE WAS DEVOTED TO A SEARCH FOR NEW FORMULATIONS AND POSSIBILY ALTERNATE PROPOSALS THAT COULD KEEP THE NEGOTIATIONS GOING AND AVOID THE IMPRESSION THAT IT IS ISRAEL THAT IS BALKING AT A SETTLEMENT.

THERE ARE INDICATIONS THAT ISRAEL WAS CONSIDERING A LESS AMBITIOUS PULLBACK THAN SADAT IS DEMANDING IN EXCHANGE

FOR MORE LIMITED EGYPTIAN CONCESSIONS. THE PROPOSAL REPORTEDLY WOULD ALLOW THE EGYPTIANS TO DRAW OIL FROM ABU RUDEIS.

AMERICAN OFFICIALS SAID THE EGYPTIAN STATEMENT RELEASED WEDNESDAY, WHICH CONTAINED AN IMPLICIT PLEDGE NOT TO RESORT TO THE USE OF FORCE, HAD MADE NO NOTICIBLE IMPACT ON THE ISRAELI DELIBERATIONS. HAK'S VIEW IS THAT SUCH A FORMAL EGYPTIAN STATEMENT TELLING ISRAEL THAT A NEW AGREEMENT WOULD BE NOT ONLY A

DISENGAGEMENT BUT ALSO A TURNING TOWARD PEACE WAS "NOT A MINOR THING." THE STATEMENT WAS SEEN AS A "RATHER EXPLICIT COMMITMENT" TO THE PROCESS OF PEACE ALTHOUGH CONTAINED LITTLE THAT WAS ENTIRELY NEW.

'T - ASHINGTON - SEN. BUCKELY TODAY URGED HAK TO BREAK OFF HIS ME DIPLOMACY AND RETURN WASHINGTON TO DEAL WITH THE SITUATION IN PORTUGAL.

BUCKELY CALLED IT "THE MOST PROFOUND CRISIS SINCE THE END OF WWII" BECAUSE PORTUGUESE COMMUNISTS ARE TRYING TO ASSUME CONTROL OF THE GOVERNMENT.

IN A STATEMENT RELEASED AT A NEWS CONFERENCE WITH SENS. GOLDWATER, HUMPHREY, AND BUCKLEY SAID THE SOVIET UNION IS SENDING THE PORTUGUESE COMMUNISTS $10 MILLION A MONTH.

HE PREDICTED THAT IF COMMUNISTS COME TO POWER, THE SOVIET NAVY WOULD ACQUIRE BASE RIGHTS IN PORTUGAL WHICH WILL MAKE THE POSITION OF THE U.S. 6TH FLEET "UNTENABLE" IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA.

"I BELIEVE THAT THE PLACE FOR OUR SECRETARY OF STATE -- AND FOREIGN ADVISER TO THE PRESIDENT -- IN THIS SITUATION IS AT THE COMMAND CENTER," HE SAID.

"I URGE SECRETARY KISSINGER TO DELEGATE HIS SHUTTLE SERVICE TO ONE OF HIS ABLE AND QUALIFIED ASSOCIATES, AND TO RETURN HERE FOR URGENT CONSULTATIONS AND DECISIONS."

INGERSOLL

00 RUEHKAK
DE RUEHC #3984 0800101

ZNR UUUUU ZZH
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FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO USDEL ASVAN IMMEDIATE 2450
BT
UNCLAS

RECLASSIFIED
Control: 001
Head 2101302

STATE 063984

TOSEC 852

E.O. 11652: N/A
TAGS: OVIP (KISSINGER, H. AWLL
SUBJECT: COMBINED MEDIA REPORT, MARCH 20, EVENING

06.

NEWSPAPERS

I. LATIMES, RESTON, PAGE 9, HEADLINED, "INDOCHINA EVENTS HURT HIS MIDEAST EFFORTS--KISSINGER." RESTON WRITES HAK BELIEVES WIDE SPREAD COMMUNIST GAINS IN SVW AND THREATENED COLLAPSE OF CAMBODIA WEAKEN HIS AUTHORITY TO NEGOTIATE NEW PEACE AGREEMENT BETWEEN ISRAEL AND EGYPT.

HAK'S FEAR IS THAT EVENTS IN INDOCHINA ARE RAISING SERIOUS
QUESTIONS ABOUT VALUE OF AMERICAN POLITICAL COMMITMENTS TO
ALLIES AND OTHER NATIONS THROUGHOUT WORLD. HIS CONCERN...
WAS EXPRESSED TO REPORTERS ABOARD HAK PLANE...

LATEST CRISIS IN SEA COULD NOT HAVE COME AT WORSE TIME FOR
HAK. HE IS INVOLVED IN ME IN DIFFICULT NEGOTIATIONS...AT
PRECISELY MOMENT ANOTHER PART OF HIS DIPLOMACY IS COMING
UNRAVELED, SPECIFICALLY VN CEIE-FIRE...

SENIOR AMERICAN OFFICIAL SAID HE COULD NOT AVE NEGOTIATED
PEACE AGREEMENT IN GOOD CONSCIENCE HAD HE FORESEE WHAT WAS
GOING TO HAPPEN JUST TWO YEARS LATER. HE COMPLAINED THAT
PART OF PROBLEM WAS U.S. FAILURE TO LIVE UP TO ITS CON-
MITMENT OF PROVITING ADEQUATE SUPPORT OVER A DECENT INTER-
VAL OF TIME.

OFFICIAL PREDICTED FALL OF CAMBODIA TO COMMUNIST INSURGENTS
SNORTLY.... SAIGON REGIME MAY BE LEFT WITH CONTROL OF
SOUTHERN HALF OF SVW AND SOME COASTAL ENCLAVES.

NEWS OF SERIOUS MILITARY SETBACKS IN SVW REACHED HERE AT
BEGINNING OF ANOTHER LONG DAY OF HAK DIPLOMACY THAT REACHED
FROM JERUSALEM TO SAUDI ARABIAN CAPITAL AND BACK TO
JERUSALEM.

UNCLASSIFIED

HAK BEGAN DAY IN MEETING WITH ISRAELI LEADERSHIP. HE THEN FLEW TO SAUDI ARABIA...

WHILE IN SAUDI ARABIA, HAK AWAITED WORD FROM AN URGENT ISRAELI CABINET MEETING CALLED TO CONSIDER NEW MOVES AND RESPONSES...

BEFORE LEAVING RIYADH, HAK WENT OUT OF HIS WAY TO KNOCK DOON SPECULATION ABOUT A POSSIBLE U. S. MILITARY INTERVENTION TO SEIZE PERSIAN GULF OIL FIELDS...

YAMANI WELCOMED HAK'S REMARKS AND SAID HE WAS GLAD THEY WERE MADE PUBLICLY...

ACCORDING TO SENIOR U.S. OFFICIAL WITH HAK PARTY, SAUDIS HAVE EXPRESSED SOME UNHAPPINESS OVER RECENT CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS INTO MACHINERY OF ARAB ECONOMIC BOYCOTT AGAINST ISRAEL AND STATE OF AMERICAN PUBLIC OPINION.

BUT U. S. OFFICIALS SAID HAK TALKS IN RIYADH WENT EXTREMELY WELL, BUT HAK'S MIND SEEMED PREOCUPIED WITH ADVERSE TURN OF EVENTS IN OTHER PARTS OF WORLD.

IN THE PLANE, HIS MOOD APPEARED SUBDUED, ALMOST PHILOSOPHICAL ABOUT GROWING INABILITY OF U. S. TO CONDUCT ITS FOREIGN POLICY EFFECTIVELY. JUDGMENTS SEEMED WEIGHED AGAINST HIS MOUNTING NEGOTIATING DIFFICULTIES IN ME AND BAD NEWS FLOWING IN FROM SEA AND FROM PORTUGAL WHERE, U. S. OFFICIALS SAID, COUNTRY IS SLIDING INTO COMMUNIST CAMP.

2. JUST RECEIVED COPY MARCH 17 BOSTON HERALD AMERICAN (HEARST), IN WHICH WALLACH HP A FEATURE HEADLINED, "UKS. WILL NOT RECOGNIZE PLO UNTIL TERRORIST ORGANIZATION ADMITS EXISTENCE OF ISRAEL." MOST OF ARTICLE, HOWEVER, IS SOURCED FROM SYRIAN OFFICIALS. WALLACH SAYS SYRIAN MFA OFFICIALS DISCLOSED THAT "SYRIA IS WILLING TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR ENDING PLO TERRORISTS ATTACKS AGAINST ISRAEL AND FOR PLO ACCEPTANCE OF UN RESOLUTIONS AFFIRMING ISRAEL'S RIGHT TO EXIST." WALLACH SAYS THESE OFFICIALS "EXPLAINED THAT PLO MAD AGREED TO MAKE THESE CONCESSIONS IN FRAMEWORK OF A JOINT POLITICAL AND MILITARY COMMAND IN SYRIA IN ORDER TO GAIN POLITICAL RECOGNITION BY U.S." AFTER DISCUSSING U. S. POSITION ON RECOGNITION OF PLO, WALLACH STATES SYRIAN OFFICIALS EXPLAINED PLO HAS "SUPERED NUMEROUS SETBACKS IN ARAB WORLD SINCE" ARAFAT'S UNGA APPEARANCE AND "SYRIA MAY VERY WELL BE THEIR LAST CHANCE."

UNCLASSIFIED

["UNCLASSIFIED", "WIRES", "UPI (NO BYLINE). JERUSALEM:", "HAK POSTPONED HIS SHUTTLE TO EGYPT HOUR AFTER HOUR TODAY\nWHILE ISRAELI CABINET MET. HE SAID SESSION FINALLY PRODUCED NEW IDEAS ON PEACE IN ME THAT HE WILL RELAY TO SADAT.", "ISRAELI NEGOTIATING TEAM GAVE HAK IDEAS DURING A 75-MINUTE\nMEETING FOLLOWING MARATHON SESSIONS OF CABINET. HAK HEADED\nIMMEDIATELY TO ASWAN...", "ASKED ...WHETHER ISRAELIS HAD COME UP WITH NEW PROPOSALS,\nHAK REPLIED: \"I THINK THERE ARE SOME NEW IDEAS, YES.\"", "AP (NO BYLINE), JERUSALEM: HAK FIGHTING TO SAVE HIS ME\nPEACE MISSION, WON WHAT HE CALLED \"NEW IDEAS\" FROM ISRAEL\nTODAY AND CARRIED THEM TO EGYPT.", "U.S. OFFICIALS SAID HAK ALSO MAY MEET WITH GROMYKO IN\nVIENNA ON SATURDAY, INDICATING SOME PROGRESS....", "\"I THINK THERE ARE SOME NEW IDEAS,\" HAK TOLD NEWSMEN....", "HAK STILL FACED WHAT OFFICIALS CALLED \"A WIDE GAP\" BETWEEN\nEGYPTIAN AND ISRAELI POSITIONS....", "MENTION OF NEW IDEAS RAISED HOPES FOR SETTLEMENT FOR FIRST\nTIME SINCE HAK MOVED HIS MISSION INTO HIGH GEAR AT BEGIN-\NING OF WEEK. \"NEW IDEAS\" COULD MEAN ISRAEL HAD SOFTENED\nSOME POINTS IN ITS POSITION, OBSERVERS SAID.", "... AFTER HE RETURNED TO JERUSALEM, HAK SAID, HE WOULD BE\nABLE TO GIVE \"A BETTER ASSESSMENT\".", "...PERES SAID ISRAEL GAVE HAK ITS \"COMPLETE PROPOSAL...WE\nHAVE CONCLUDED OUR PROPOSAL.\"", "UPI ADD (ALSO FROM JERUSALEM) SAYS HAK LEF: FOR ASWAN SIX\nHOURS BEHIND SCHEDULE. UPI ALSO USES HAK'S COMMENTS ON\n\"NEW IDEAS,\" HIS REFUSAL TO SPECULATE ON WHETHER GAP HAD\nBEEN NARROWED, AND PERES' COMMENT ON CONCLUSION OF ISRAELI\nPROPOSALS. UPI ALSO REPORTS DAY'S SEQUENCE OF EVENTS AND\nQUOTES FROM ISRAELI CABINET'S COMMUNICATE.", "UNCLASSIFIED"]

UNCLASSIFIED

LATE WIRES

AP, SCHWEID, ASWAN: HAK BROUGHT "ADDITIONAL ISRAELI SUGGESTIONS AND IDEAS" ON SINAI SETTLEMENT TO SADAT THURSDAY NIGHT...

...U.S. OFFICIALS TOLD NEWSMEN THAT ISRAELI CABINET HAD MADE FIRST FORMAL CHANGE IN ITS POSITION SINCE HAK CAME TO ME TWO WEEKS AGO.

AN INDICATION THAT SOME PROGRESS WAS BEING MADE IN SHUTTLE NEGOTIATIONS WAS INFORMATION FROM U. S. OFFICIALS THAT HAK MAY MEET WITH SOVIET FM GROMYKO IN VIENNA ON SATURDAY.

...ALL AMERICAN OFFICIALS WOULD ONLY DESCRIBE WHAT ISRAELI CABINET HAS ADDED AS "SOME MODIFICATIONS, ELABORATIONS AND NEW ELEMENTS."

"IAM BRINGING FIRM IDEAS," HAK SAID. "YOU CAN CALL THEM PROPOSALS."

HE ADDED, "THERE'S ALWAYS HOPE FOR AN AGREEMENT."

GLOOM THAT HAD PERIaded HIS PLANE EARLIER IN WEEK GAVE WAY TO MUTED OPTIMISM, ALTHOU U. S. OFFICIALS ADVISED NEWSMEN TO "PLAY IT DOWN MIDDLE" AND DESCRIBED HAK AS NEITHER "UPBEAT NOR DOWNBEAT."

THESE OFFICIALS AID "BASIC FRAMEWORK" FOR SINAI SETTLEMENT HAS NOT YET BEEN ESTABLISHED AND THAT AN AGREEMENT DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH "GIF" EACH SIDE HAS...

UPI, NO BYLINE, ASWAN: HAK BROUGHT TOEGYPT THURSDAY PER-MAPS DECISIVE IN ISRAELI PROPOSALS TRYING TO KEEP ALIVE NEGOTIATIONS FOR A SECOND STAGE ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL...

"WE ARE STILL IN BUSINESS," AN AMERICAN OFFICIAL SAID...

A SENIOR AMERICAN OFFICIAL ABOARD HAK'S PLANE SAID THERE IS STILL NO AGREED FRAMEWORK FOR ACCORD -- HOW FAR ISRAEL WILL WITHDRAW IN EXCHANGE FOR WHAT EGYPTIAN CONCESSIONS.

HAK DROV DIRECTLY TO SADAT'S REST HOUSE... AND THE TWO MEN BEGAN PISING HALF AN HOUR LATER.

AT AIRPORT HAK TOLD REPORTERS, "AFTER THAT WE CAN DECIDE WHERE TO STAND."

SENIOR OFFICIAL DESCRIBED ISRAELI PROPOSALS AS DEFIEMENT AND MODIFICATION OF WHAT ISRAEL WAS PROPOSED BEFORE...

UNCLASSIFIED

5
UNCLASSIFIED

HE SAID HAK HAD NO FIXED SCHEDULE BEYOND HIS RETURN TO ISRAEL FRIDAY WITH SADAT'S RESPONSE. HE SAID TALKS HAD GONE ABOUT AS FAR AS THE JUCOULD GO WITHOUT REACHING A "BASIC FRAMEWORK".

HE SAID, HOWEVER, ISRAELI CABINET HAS MOVED BEYOND ITS LAST
FORMAL OFFER OF A WITHDRAWAL THAT FALLS SHORT OF SINAI
PASSES AND ABU RUDEIS OIL FIELDS. THERE WAS CDELL A GAP
WHICH MUST BE BRIDGED.... HE SAID HAK STILL HAS NOT PUT
FORWARD AN AMERICAN PROPOSAL TO BRIDGE GAP.

OFFICIAL REAFFIRMED THAT HAK WILL REMAIN IN AREA UNTIL HE
KNOWS ONE WAY OR OTHER WHETHER HE CAN BRING ABOUT AGREEMENT.

TELEVISION

1. ABC, HALFWAY THRU PROGRAM: REASONER: HAK FLEW FROM ISRAEL TO EGYPT TODAY WITH SOME NEW ISRAELI IDEAS FOR A SECOND STAGE TROOP WITHDRAWAL IN SINAI. KOPPEL REPORTS THAT ISR

EL SEES POSSIBILITY OF AN AGREEMENT ON FOLLOWING
LINES: EGYPT WOULD PUBLICLY AGREE TO REFRAIN FROM ACTS
OF WAR AGAINST ISRAEL, AND IN ADDITION, WOULD ENGAGE
IN POLITICAL ACTS OF NON-BELLIGERENCE SUCH AS PERMITTING
DIRECT FLIGHTS BETWEEN CAIRO AND TEL AVIV, AND LIFTING
ECONOMIC BOYCOTT AGAINST FIRMS DEALING WITH ISRAEL.
IN RETURN, ISRAEL WOULD AGREE TO WITHDRAWAL FROM STRATEGIC
PASSES AND OIL FIELDS IN SINAI OVER A PERIOD OF ABOUT
TWO YEARS. (NO KOPPEL)

2. NBC, TOM BROKAW (TOVARD END OF PROGRAM): HAK BROUGHT SOME ISRAELI PROPOSALS TO EGYPT TODAY. HAK WAS SEVERAL HOURS BEHIND SCHEDULE ON HIS SHUTTLE. WE HAD WAITED IN UERUSALEM FOR ISRAELI CABINET TO CONCLUDE A TIER-HOUR MEETING. (NO VALERIANI)

3. NO COVERAGE ON CBS. INGERSOLL

BT

03984

UNCLASSIFIED

CO RUFHAK
DE RUEH 03120/1 0791915
ZNR UUUNG 22H
0 2816442 MAR 75 ZFF 4
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO USDEL ASWAN IMMEDIATE 0420
BT
UNCLAS

STATE 063126

TOSEC 823

E.O. 11652: N/A

TAGS: OVIP (KISSINGER, H. A.)

SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT, THURSDAY MORNING, MARCH 29

NO. 36

SUMMARY: HAK MAY MEET GROMYKO SATURDAY IN VIENNA. ISRAELI CABINET MEETS THIRD TIME POSTPONING HAK'S DEPARTURE FOR ASWAN. GAP REPORTED STILL WIDE.GWERTZMAN, CARTER, BERGER, MILLS, LEVINE AND KALB REPORT VIET CRISIS HURTS HAK'S EFFORTS FOR ME AGREEMENT.

WIRES

I. AP, SCHWEID, JERUSALEM: HAK MAY MEET WITH GROMYKO SATURDAY TO REPORT ON HIS ME PEACE MISSION, AMERICAN OFFICIALS SAID TODAY.

MEETING WITH GROMYKO WOULD INDICATE HAK WAS MAKING SOME PROGRESS IN HIS EFFORTS TO REACH AN ISRAELI-EGYPTIAN AGREEMENT. OFFICIALS SAID PLANS FOR MEETING WERE NOT DEFINITE YET, BUT SATURDAY "HAD BEEN SET ASIDE" FOR A POSSIBLE TRIP TO AUSTRIAN CAPITAL.

SEMI-OFFICIAL ISRAELI STATE RADIO REPORTED TODAY THAT ISRAELI CABINET HAD AGAIN REFUSED TO GIVE UP TWO STRATEGIC MT. PASSES AND ABU RUDEIS OIL FIELD IN SINAI DESERT.

RADIO SAID CABINET MET FOR 10 HOURS WEDNESDAY AND DECIDED TO TELL HAK IT WAS STICKING BY ITS ORIGINAL OFFER TO WITHDRAW ITS TROOPS ON EGYPTIAN FRONT ONLY ABOUT 30 MORE MILES.

HOWEVER, INFLUENTIAL NEWSPAPER HAARETZ SAID ISRAEL HAD MADE A NEW PROPOSAL OFFERING TO RETURN OIL FIELD IN EXCHANGE FOR STRONGER NO-WAR COMMITMENT FROM EGYPT. BUT REPORTED PROPOSAL DID NOT INCLUDE RETURN OF GIDI AND MITLA PASSES... U. S. OFFICIALS SAID GAP BETWEEN ISRAELIS AND EGYPTIAN POSITIONS WAS STILL WIDE, AND NEW FEW DAYS COULD BE CRITICAL FOR NEGOTIATIONS.

(NOT CLASSIFIED)

2. UPI, JERUSALEM: ISRAELI CABINET MET UNEXPECTEDLY TODAY FOR THIRD TIME IN 24 HOURS TO CONSIDER PROPOSALS TO KEEP ALIVE HAK'S NEGOTIATIONS FOR A NEW AGREEMENT BETWEEN ISRAEL AND EGYPT.

HAK TWICE POSTPONED HIS DEPARTURE FOR HIS FOURTH SHUTTLE TO ASWAN, TO SEE SADAT AND WAITED TO HEAR RESULTS OF NEW CABINET MEETING.

CABINET MET AFTER HAK SPENT MOST OF MORNING CONFERRING WITH RABIN AND ISRAELI NEGOTIATORS ON RESULTS OF A PREVIOUS MARATHON CABINET SESSION THAT ENDED AT 2 A.M. IN MORNING.

HAK CALLED THREE-HOUR MORNING SESSION WITH ISRAELI MINISTERS "GOOD, FRIENDLY AND CONSTRUCTIVE."

"I DO FEEL THAT EACH SIDE IS MAKING A VERY SERIOUS EFFORT TO TRY TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT CONSIDERATIONS OF OTHER AND THIS IS CERTAINLY TRUE OF ISRAELI SIDE," HE SAID UPON EMERGING FROM MEETING.

RADIO/TV

1. JENNINGS, AMERICA ABC-TV: MOST OF REPORTING WE HAVE HEARD FROM YOU TED AND YOUR COLLEAGUES HAS BEEN RATHER PESSIMISTIC. IS THAT AN ACCURATE REFLECTION OF WHAT IS GOING ON, DO YOU THINK?

KOPPEL: PETER, IT'S AN ACCURATE REFLECTION OF PUBLIC DECLARA-TIONS THAT ARE BEING MADE ON BOTH SIDES AND TO A CERTAIN EXTENT WE AREHEMMED IN BY THOSE PUBLIC DECLARA-TIONS. EGYPTIANS ARE BEING VERY TOUGH IN TERMS ONE AYING

THAT THEY CANNOT AND WILL NOT GIVE A PUBLIC WRITTEN DECLARA-
TION OF NON-BELLIGERENCY FOR ANYTHING LESS THAN A TOTAL
WITHDRAWAL OF ISRAELI FORCES BACK TO 1967 LINES. ISRAELIS
ARE BEING EQUALLY TOUGH IN THEIR PUBLIC DECLARATION SAY-
ing THEY CANNOT AND WILL NOT RETURN THE MITLA AND GIDI
PASSES IN SINAI OR ABU RUDEIS OIL FIELDS FOR ANYTHING
LESS THAN PUBLIC DECLARATION OF NON-BELLIGERENCY.

JENNINGS: TED, ONE OF THINGS THAT IMPRESSES ME HERE IS THAT DIPLOMATS HERE IN THIS TOWN IN CONTACT WITH ME SAY THAT CABLES DO NOT REFLECT THAT PUBLIC PESSIMISM.

KOPPEL: THAT DOES NOT SURPRISE ME AT ALL BECAUSE
OBVIOUSLY, IN FINAL ANALYSIS HERE, THERE IS GOING TO HAVE
TO BE COMPROMISE ON BOTH SIDES AND I THINK WE ARE AT
CRITICAL JUNCTURE RIGHT NOW. ISRAELI CABINET EVEN AS WE
SPEAK IS IN SESSION. THEY ARE CONSIDERING FINAL POINTS

UINCLASSIFIED

OF CLARIFICATION THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO GIVE HAK TO TAKE
BACK TO ASWAN WITH HIM LATER THIS AFTERNOON. BY TIME
WE RETURNS TO ISRAEL TOMORROW EVE, HAVING TALKED TO SADAT,
HAK WILL EITHER KNOW THAT THIS MISSION IS GOING TO BE A
FAILURE, IN WHICH CASE HE PROBABLY WILL BE RETURUNG TO
WASHINGTON SOMETIME THIS WEEKEND, OR THEY WILL BE GOING
INTO FINAL PHASE OF WORKING OUT SPECIFICS OF AN AGREEMENT.
MY GUESS AT THIS POINT PETER WOULD BE THAT IT WOULD BE
LATTER. HAK HAS NOT YET MADE HIS OWN SUGGESTIONS, HE
HAS NOT YET INJECTED HIS OWN IDEAS; I THINK HE IS ABOUT
TO DO THAT AND I STILL THINK COMPROMISE IS POSSIBLE.

2. KALB, CBS RADIO (FIRST LINE REPORT); BY NIGHTFALL, TOMORROW LATEST, HAK WILL PROBABLY BE IN A POSITION TO JUDGE WHETHER HE HAS BROKEN BACK OF HIS REGULATION OR WHETHER IT HAS BROKEN BACK OF HIS EFFORT... IF A DEAL IS IMMINENT IT IS BEING KEPT A SECRET EVEN FROM PEOPLE WHO MUST MAKE IT, IN ADDITION TO PEOPLE WHO MUST REPORT IT. HAK COMES THROUGH THESE DAYS AS A TROUBLED MAN. HE WANTS AN AGREEMENT FOR REASONS SIMPLE TO FIGURE OUT AND NOT SO SIMPLE. AN AGREEMENT IF ACHIEVED WOULD HEAD OFF ANOTHER WAR IN ME. IT WOULD BREAK UP A BUILDING ANTI-ISRAEL COALITION. IT WOULD EASE ENERGY CRISIS BY INSURING A STEADY FLOW OF ARAB OIL; IT WOULD HELP AMERICA'S DIPLOMATIC POSITION IN THIS PART OF WORLD; IT WOULD RESTORE SOME OF AMERICA'S LOST LUSTER. AND HERE IS WHERE NOT-SO-SIMPLE REASONS COME IN.

HAK THINKS THAT AMERICA IS IN A BAD WAY, PHRASES SUCH AS
NATIONAL MASOCHISM, PARANOID NIGHTMARE, DEEP AMERICAN
ANGUISH A TRAGEDY. THESE AND OTHERS ARE HEARD IN HIS
AIRPLANE CABIN. VIETNAM, WATERGATE--HE THOUGHT THAT ONCE

AMERICAN PRISONERS AND TROOPS WERE WITHDRAWN FROM INDO-
CHINA, ONCE NIXON WAS DRIVEN FROM OFFICE, THESE NATIONAL
TRAUMAS WOULD PASS AND A NEW UPLIFTING PERIOD OF AMERICAN
HISTORY WOULD BEGIN. HAK MISREAD MOOD OF COUNTRY, NOT
FOR FIRST TIME. FROM AFAR AND QUITE OFTEN THESE DAYS
FROM ALOFT HE LOOKS OUT AND DOWN AT AMERICA, AND HE IS
PROFOUNDLY DISTURBED. WE WONDERS WHETHER COUNTRY COULD
BE LOSING SIGHT OF ESSENTIAL AND FOCUSSING ONLY ON TRIVIA.
TO HIM, ESSENTIAL IS HEADING OFF NUCLEAR WAR, OF BUILDING
A POWER BALANCE AROUND WORLD. IN ALL THIS, STRENGTH AND
STABILITY OF U. S. ARE CRITICAL. WHEN U. S. WAIVERS,
WORLD WAIVERS AND TREMORS CAN BE FELT EVERYWHERE.
PORTUGAL AT ONE END OF MEDITERRANEAN, TURKEY AT OTHER ARE
BOTH IN TURMOIL. CAMBODIA COLLAPSING IN INDOCHINA, SVN
NOW UNDER NEW MASSIVE COMMUNIST ATTACK. IN PART, HAK

THE NEW YORK TIMES

PAGE 1

UNCLASSIFIED

THINKS THIS IS CAUSED BY BREAKDOWN OF AMERICAN AUTHORITY, SIGNS OF A LOSS OF WILL POWER, AN EROSION OF COMMITMENT AFFECTING EVEN HIS NEGOTIATION IN ME. ASSAD OF SYRIA NOTES THAT AMERICA HAS LOST INTEREST IN CAMBODIA AND THEREFORE ISRAEL IS DOOMED. IN TIME, MESAYS, U.S. WILL LOSE INTEREST IN HER TOO. THAT IS HIS SOUND DOING THEORY AND IT BEARS A STRIKING RESEMBLANCE TO HAK'S. ISRAEL WORRIES ABOUT DOMINOES TOO BUT SHE DRAS A DIFFERENT CONCLUSION FROM CAMBODIA. ISRAEL CONCLUDES THAT MAYBE SHE OUGHT TO DIG IN RATHER THAN DIG OUT AND UNLESS EGYPT CAN AGREE TO TURN A NEW LEAF IN ARAB-ISRAELI RELATIONS, AND END STATE OF WAR BETWEEN TWO SIDES, MAYBE THIS IS NOT TIME FOR A DEAL, MAYBE THIS IS TIME TO WAIT. THERE IS A WORLD OF WAR AND OPPORTUNITY RIDING ON OUTCOME OF THIS NEGOTIATION. NOW IN AN ODD WAY TEETERING ON RAZOR'S EDGE OF SUCCESS OR FAILURE. IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHICH WAY IT TIPS.

NEWSPAPERS

1. WASHPOST, BERGER, PAGE 24, RIYADH (FIRST OF TWO STORIES): HAK IS STRUGGLING TO NEGOTIATE NEW SETTLEMENT IN ME, FRAGILITY OF HIS EARLIER EFFORTS HALF A WORLD WAY IN SOUTHEAST ASIA ARE DEMONSTRATING HOW TRANSIENT HIS SUCCESSES CAN BE.

IMMINENT FALL OF CAMBODIA AND EVEN SVN, WHERE ONLY 2-1/2 HOURS AGO HE ANNOUNCED "PEACE IS AT HAND," ARE SAID TO BE RAISING NEW OBSTACLES IN CURRENT NEGOTIATIONS.

ISRAELIS ARE QUESTIONING VALUE OF ASSURANCES IN RETURN FOR TANGIBLE TERRITORY. ARABS ARE SAID TO BE QUESTIONING NEED TO MAKE CONCESSIONS WHEN AMERICAN AID TO ISRAEL MIGHT SOON BE DIMINISHED, JUST AS IT HAS BEEN IN CAMBODIA, AND SVN.

HISTORY, SO THINKING GOES, WILL DO WORK OF ARABS FOR THEM.

WHAT IS HAPPENING IN SVN, REPORTERS ABOARD HAK'S PLANE WERE TOLD, IS THAT HANOI HAS PERCEIVED THAT U.S. IS NO LONGER CAPABLE OF INTERVENING...

AS NEGOTIATOR OF FRAGILE VN AGREEMENT, HAK'S EXPERTISE IS CLEARLY UNDERMINED. BUT A RATIONALIZATION HAS BEEN OFFERED FOR HIS POSITION. IF HE HAD THOUGHT IT POSSIBLE THAT CONGRESSIONAL SUPPORT WOULD ERODE TO ITS CURRENT STATE, HAK ARGUMENT GOES, HE COULD NOT HAVE, IN GOOD CONSCIENCE, NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT.

THAT, EVIDENTLY, IS ONE OF MAJOR REASONS WHY ISRAEL IS IS INSISTING ON "REAL MOVES" IN EXCHANGE FOR TERRITORY. FOR NO MATTER HOW GOOD INTENTIONS OR CONSCIENCE OF ANY OUTSIDERS, ISRAELIS SAY THAT IN LAST ANALYSIS THEY WILL HAVE TO DEPEND ON THEMSELVES.

UNCLASSIFIED
5

...REPORTERS TRAVELING HERE WITH HAK ARE BEING TOLD THAT AMERICAN AUTHORITY IN WORLD IS BEING ERODED GENERALLY... REPORTERS WERE TOLD THAT U. S. WOULD ALSO BE OUT OF THAILAND IN NEAR FUTURE.

A NORTH VIETNAMESE DOCUMENT TO THIS EFFECT WAS LAID OUT STRATEGY, REPORTERS WERE TOLD AND FACT THAT NEW RECRUITS ARE BEING SENT SOUTH WITH ONLY ONE MONTH OF TRAINING SHOWS THAT STRATEGY IS BEING IMPLEMENTED.

2. WASHPOST, BERGER (SECOND STORY), RIYADH: HAK SOUGHT TO ALLAY CONCERN EXPRESSED IN SAUDI ARABIA ABOUT AN AMERICAN MILITARY TAKEOVER OF ITS OIL FIELDS.

BUT AT SAME TIME, HE DID NOT RETRACT A REMARK HE MADE IN JANUARY THAT TOUCHED OFF CONTROVERSY THAT HE WOULD NOT RULE OUT USE OF FORCE "WHERE THERE IS SOME ACTUAL STRANGULATION OF INDUSTRIALIZED WORLD." (EXCERPTS HAK'S RIYADH DEPARTURE STATEMENT AND YAMAMI'S RESPONSE.)

...REPORTERS TRAVELING WITH HAK WERE TOLD THAT PRINCE FAND HEIR APPARENT TO POWER, HAD EXPRESSED DEEP CONCERN ABOUT AN ARTICLE THAT APPEARED IN MARCH ISSUE OF HARPER'S MAGAZINE, CALLING FOR AN AMERICAN TAKEOVER OF SAUDI OIL FIELDS, COMPLETE WITH LOGISTICS AND TACTICS ABOUT HOW IT COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED. ARTICLE WAS SIGNED BY NAME MILES IGNOTUS, DESCRIBED AS "A PSEUDONYM OF A WASHINGTON BASED PROFESSOR AND DEFENSE CONSULTANT WHO HAS INTIMATE LINKS TO HIGH LEVEL U. S. POLICY-MAKERS."

S. OFFICIAL SAID ACTUAL AUTHOR IS BELIEVED TO BE EDWARD LUTTWAK OF GEORGETOWN UNIV'S CENTER FOR STRATEGIC STUDIES. BUT LUTTWAK DENIES THIS AND SAYS IT WAS WRITTEN BY A U. S. MILITARY MAN.

REPORTERS WERE TOLD THAT HAK HAD MADE IT CLEAR TO SAUDIS THAT ARTICLE WAS NOT GOVT INSPIRED.

U. S. AMBASSADOR IN SAUDI ARABI, JAMES AKINS, IN A SAUDI RADIO INTERVIEW LAST WEEK, HAD CALLED ARTICLES LIKE ONE IN HARPER'S PRODUCT OF "SICK MINDS". AKINS MADE NO REFERENCE TO EARLIER HAK STATEMENT...

J. VS.I., LEVINE, RIYADH, THE RAPIDLY DETERIORATING MILITARY SITUATION IN INDOCHINA IS WORRYING HAK AND THREATENING TO COMPLICATE FURTHER HIS ME PEACE EFFORT.

AS SECRETARY FLEW HERE, SENIOR U. S. OFFICIALS IN HAK PARTY EXPRESSED ALARM ABOUT MILITARY SETBACKS IN SOUTH VIETNAM AND CAMBODIA. THEY CONFERED THAT THESE REVERSALS COULD MURT U. S. FOREIGN POLICY, MOST IMMEDIATELY IN ME.

G
UNCLASSIFIED

AT THIS POINT, HAK BELIEVES THAT PHNOM PENH IS LIKELY TO
FALL SHORTLY AND THAT SITUATION IN SVN IS ALSO EXTREMELY
GRIM.

SECRETARY THINKS THAT SAIGON GOVT CAN RETAIN CONTROL OF
ONLY TWO OF FOUR MILITARY REGIONS IN COUNTRY--REGION
THREE, WHICH INCLUDES SAIGON AND SURROUNDING AREA, AND
REGION FOUR TO SOUTH, WHICH ENCOMPASSES RICH MEKONG DELTA.
GOVT SHOULD ALSO BE ABLE TO HOLD ON TO SOME COASTAL
ENCLAVES IN MORE NORTHERN AREAS, ACCORDING TO HAK ANALYSIS

U. S.)OFFICIALS ARGUE THAT THERE IS LITTLE THAT CAN BE
DONE AT THIS LATE DATE TO SALVAGE MILITARY SITUATION,
THOUGH THEY STILL WANT CONGRESS TO VOTE ADDITIONAL AID
MONEY THE FORD ADMINISTRATION HAS REQUESTED FOR CAMBODIA
AND SVN. NEGOTIATIONS AIMED AT ATTAINING A CEASE-FIRE
ARE NOT FEASIBLE, THEY SAY, BECAUSE U. S. DOES NOT HAVE
ANY BARGAINING CHIPS.

MAJOR COMMUNIST OFFENSIVE IN SVN, SENIOR U. S. OFFICIALS
MAINTAIN, RESULTS FROM HANOI'S PERCEPTION THAT WASHINGTON
IS NOT CAPABLE OF INTERVENING MILITARILY IN INDOCHINA
AND THAT ADDITIONAL U. S. MILITARY AID IN SIGNIFICANT
QUANTITIES IS UNLIKELY. ONE INDICATION OF LARGE SCALE OF
NORTH VIETNAMESE PUSH IS THEIR DECISION TO SEND RECRUITS
SOUTH AFTER ONLY ONE MONTH OF MILITARY TRAINING, U. S.
OFFICIALS SAY.

A NOTE OF BITTERNESS IS CREEPING INTO VIETNAM CONVERSATIONS
OF U. S. OFFICIALS ABOARD HAK'S PLANE. IF SVN MESE HAD
RECEIVED ADEQUATE U. S. AID AND HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO HANDLE
MILITARY SITUATION, THESE OFFICIALS SAY, THAT WOULD BE
SAIGON'S FAULT. BUT GOVT'S CURRENT TROUBLES, THEY IMPLY,
STEM MAINLY FROM INADEQUATE U. S. SUPPORT.

ALL THIS WAS DIRECT RELEVANCE TO ME NEGOTIATIONS BEING
CONDUCTED BY HAK, OFFICIALS AGREE. THEIR MAIN ARGUMENTS
GO LIKE THIS: WHEN ISRAEL LOOKS AT U. S. PERFORMANCE IN
INDOCHINA IT STARTS WONDERING ABOUT VALUE OF U. S. ASSUR-
ANCES OF SUPPORT. AS A RESULT, JERUSALEM IS LIKELY TO BE
MORE RELUCTANT TO SURRENDER VALUABLE MILITARY TERRAIN IN
SINAI--TO, IN EFFECT, TAKE CHANCES FOR PEACE.

AS FOR ARABS, THEY TOO WONDER ABOUT PERMANENCE OF U. S.
COMMITMENTS TO ISRAEL IN VIEW OF WASHINGTON'S RELUCTANCE
TO PROVIDE AID TO ITS INDOCHINA ALLIES IN CURRENT CRISIS.
THIS, IN OPINION OF SOME U. S. EXPERTS, LESSENS PRESSURE
ON THEM TO REACH NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENTS WITH ISRAEL.
FOR IF TIME WEAKINS WASHINGTON-JERUSALEM BOND, ISRAEL WILL
BE A MUCH LESS FORMIDABLE MILITARY FOE IN FUTURE....

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4. NYTIME. PAGE 3, GWERTZMAN, RIYADH: A SENSE OF ALMOST FATALISTIC GLOOM SEEMED TO PERVADE HAK'S PARTY TODAY.

CAUSE MIGHT HAVE BEEN FATIGUE, SLOW PACE OF EGYPTIAN-ISRAELI NEGOTIATIONS OR BAD NEWS FROM WASHINGTON.

...REPORTERS ABOARD PLANE WERE GIVEN AN APPRAISAL OF OVERALL WORLD SITUATION THAT WAS MOST PESIMISTIC THEY HAD HEARD IN SOME TIME.

SOME OF COMMENTS WERE CLEARLY SELF-SERVING AND UNDERLINED HAK'S WELL-KNOWN CONCERNS ABOUT CONGRESS AND EROSION OF U. S. INFLUENCE ABROAD. BUT REPORTERS WERE INCLINED TO TAKE MOST OF THEM SERIOUSLY AS AT LEAST REFLECTING WHAT HAK AND HIS CLOSEST AIDES WERE THINKING....

UP TO NOW, MOOD OF GROUP ON THIS TRIP HAS GENERALLY BEEN RELAZED. QUESTIONS RAISED BY REPORTERS ABOUT CAMBODIA AND VIETNAM HAVE BEEN SHRUGGED OFF. WHETHER TODAY'S MOOD WAS A MORE TRUTHFUL REPRESENTATION OF HAK VIEW THAN NON-CHALANCE OF PAST TWO WEEKS IS DEBATABLE, BUT MOST REPORTERS ABOARD HIS PLANE DO NOT BELIEVE IT WAS CONTRIVED.

5. NY DAILY NEWS, CARTER PAGE 16 AND BALT SUN, MILLS, PAGE 2 STORIES REPORT HAK'S Fears THAT INDOCHINA LOSSES MAKE PEACEKEEPING EFFORTS MORE DIFFICULT. INGERSOLL

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#3120

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RECEIVING ENERGIZED MORE DILUCIDLY. INDOORLOFT.
PAGE 5 21012 REPORT HAK.2 SEARS THAT INDOCHINA F022E MAKE
2. MY DAILY NEWS. CARTER PAGE 16 AND BALT SUN. MILLS.

ABOARD HIS PLANE DO NOT BELIEVE IT WAS CONTRIVED.
CHANCE OF PAST TWO WEEKS IS DEBATIBLE. BUT MOST REPORTERS
WAS A MORE TRUTHFUL REPRESENTATION OF HAK VIEW THAT NON-
AND VIETNAM HAVE BEEN SHROUDED OFF. WHETHER TODAY. 2 MOOD
RETAINED. QUESTIONS RAISED BY REPORTERS ABOUT CAMBODIA
TO NON. MOOD OF GROUP ON THIS TRIP WAS GENERALLY SEEN

HAK AND HIS CLOSER ATD HERE THINKING ....
TAKE MOST OF THEM SERIOUSLY AS AT LEVEL REFLECTING WHAT
U. 2. INFLUENCE AROUND. BUT REPORTERS WERE INCORDED TO
HAK 2 AELL-KNOWN CONCERNS ABOUT CONGRESS AND ERROR OF
BONE OF COMMENTS WERE CLEARLY SELF-SERVING AND UNDEWENTED

IN SOME TIME.
ALL WORLD SITUATION THAT WAS MOST PERFECTIC THEY WOULD
...REPORTERS ABOARD PLANE WERE GIVEN AN APPRAISAL OF OVER-

NEGOTIATIONS OR BAD NEWS FROM WASHINGTON.
CAUSE MIGHT HAVE BEEN FATIGUE. SLOW PACE OREGANIZATION-12RAVEI

FATALISTIC GLOOM SEEMED TO PERSUADE HAK.2 PARLY TODAY.
4. MYTIME. PAGE 3. GAWRTIMAN. RYADH. A SENSE OF ALMOST

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7

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O 220129Z MAR 75 ZFF4
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMCONSUL JERUSALEM IMMEDIATE 8101-8/02
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UNCLAS
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TOSEC 798

E.O. 11652: N/A
TAGS: OVIP (KISSINGER, HENRY A.)
SUBJECT: COMBINED MEDIA REPORT, EVENING, MARCH 19, 1971.

FOR AMBASSADOR ANDERSON FROM S/PRS
NO. 35

NEWSPAPERS: LATIMES SECOND LEAD: JERUSALEM STORY BY RESTON AND WM. DRUMMOND HEADLIINED "ISRAEL AND EGYPT DEFINE DIFFERENCES ON AGREEMENT." BEGIN TEXT: FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE 10-DAY ME DIPLOMATIC MISSION OF HAK, THE TOP LEADERS

OF ISRAEL AND EGYPT TUESDAY PUBLICALLY DEFINED THE SHARP DIFFERENCES SEPARATING THE TWO NATIONS ON A NEW INTERIM PEACE AGREEMENT.

THE SUCCESS OF THIS ROUND OF KISSINGER SHUTTLE DIPLOMACY HINGES ON THE RESOLUTION OF THOSE DIFFERENCES. THE DISPUTE REVOLVES AROUND EGYPT'S WILLINGNESS TO TAKE SPECIFIC STEPS TOWARD NORMALIZING RELATIONS IN THE AREA IN EXCHANGE FOR STRATEGIC ISRAELI MILITARY WITHDRAWALS IN THE SINAL. END TEXT.

ISRAELI EMPHASIS ON "REAL MOVES" IN THE AREA OF ARAB ATTITUDE NOTED. HAK ARRIVED WITH "NEW CONSIDERATIONS AND IDEAS" FROM SADAT. AFTER MEETING WITH ISRAELI TEAM HAK DISAGREED THAT SHUTTLE WAS AT DEAD END. ON THE

CONTRARY, TALKS CONTINUE TO MAKE PROGRESS.

JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE WITH SADAT CITED ON TRADE, NON-BELLIGERENCY, FINAL SOLUTION AT GENEVA. SENIOR U.S. OFFICIAL ON PLANE CITED SAYING THAT OTHER ARRANGEMENTS MIGHT BE INCLUDED, APPARENTLY REFERRING TO ISRAELI LIST OF STEPS TO NORMALIZATION. SENIOR OFFICIALS SUGGEST THESE MIGHT BE ONLY UNDERSTANDINGS, NOT WRITTEN DOWN. IRONY IS THAT BOTH SIDES SEEM TO AGREE ON SUBSTANCE OF AGREEMENT, BUT NOT ON THE FORM, SPECIFICALLY PUBLIC PRESENTATION. HAK BELIEVES GAP HAS NARROWED, BOTH SIDES WILL HAVE TO ASSESS THEIR POSITIONS CAREFULLY IN NEXT DAYS. HAK ALSO FEELS SECRECY FAVORS PROGRESS, AND AMERICAN PROPOSALS ARE NOT NECESSARY YET. ONLY WHEN ONE SIDE WILL ACCEPT A U.S. INITIATIVE TO NARROW THE FINAL GAP WOULD IT BE USEFUL TO OFFER ONE.

WIRES

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1. AP - SCHWEID FROM RIYADH BEGIN TEXT: SECSTATE HAK WAS UNDERSTOOD TODAY TO BE CONVINCED HE WOULD NOT HAVE NEGOTIATED THE PARIS AGREEMENTS OF 1973 HAD HE ANTICIPATED CONGRESSIONAL CUTBACKS IN MILITARY AID TO SVN AND CAMBODIA ... THE CEASEFIRE WAS VIOLATED CONSTANTLY FROM THE START AND MOST OTHER PROVISIONS FOR MONITORING THE PEACE AND RESOLVING CONFLICTS HAVE BEEN IGNORED. HAK HAS APPEALED STRONGLY AGAINST AID CUTBACKS BY THE U.S. CONGRESS AND HAS WARNED OF SERIOUS FOREIGN POLICY SETBACKS OF THE COMMUNISTS ADVANCE IN SE ASIA.

IN HIS CURRENT TRAVELS THROUGH THE ME TO NEGOTIATE NEW DISENGAGEMENT AGREEMENTS BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HER NEIGHBORS, HAK HAS BEEN HEARING FROM BOTH SIDES REFERENCES TO U.S. SETBACKS IN SE ASIA. END TEXT.

HAK ASKED DEPARTMENT TO SEND HIM HANOI ARTICLE ON CURRENT OFFENSIVE, WHICH REPORTEDLY DESCRIBES U.S. AS NO LONGER CAPABLE OF INTERVENING FOR SAIGON. ME LEADERS WHO REFERRED TO SE ASIA INCLUDE ASSAD, WHO TOLD HAK "YOU HAVE GIVEN UP ON CAMBODIA, YOU HAVE GIVEN UP ON TAIWAN, AND YOU WILL GIVE UP ON ISRAEL." ISRAELIS EXPRESSING GROWING LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN U.S. ASSURANCES, INCLUDING IRAN PROMISE TO GIVE OIL AFTER RETURN OF ABU RUDEIS FIELDS.

2. UPI FROM RIYADH SAYS HAK TALKS FRUITFUL AND SUCCESSFUL, BUT NO COMMENT OF STATUS OF NEGOTIATIONS AS HE LEFT TO RETURN TO ISRAEL. SAUDI SOURCES CITED SAYING HAK CLARIFIED U.S. POSITION ON OIL PRICES AND USE OF FORCE.

LATER STORY DATED JERUSALEM SAYS HAK GAVE A PUBLIC ASSURANCE TO SAUDIS THAT U.S. NOT THREATENING MILITARY FORCE

AGAINST OILFIELDS. DURING TRIP BACK TO JERUSALEM, SOME PESSIMISM FELT ON PLANE ABOUT MILITARY SITUATION IN SE ASIA, POSSIBILITY THAT HAK HAND WAS WEAKENED BY DOUBTS OF U.S. LONGTERM COMMITMENT TO ISRAEL.

SENIOR OFFICIAL CITED SAYING HAK ATTEMPTS TO BRING ABOUT NEW AGREEMENT IN ME MORE SLOWLY THAN HE HAD EXPECTED. MAIN HANGUP SAID TO BE PRICE EGYPT WILL PAY FOR RETURN OF ITS PASSES AND OILFIELDS. ISRAELI CABINET WAS IN ITS SECOND MEETING WHEN HAK ARRIVED; RABIN EXPECTED TO GIVE THE ISRAELI ANSWER WEDNESDAY NITE OR THURSDAY MORN.

3. LATE AP FROM RIYADH - STORY ON HAK ASSURANCES OF NO MILITARY INTERVENTION FOR OILFIELDS, SAME AS UPI.

TV

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1. ABC - REASONER: SECRETARY KISSINGER WAS REPORTED TODAY TO HAVE INDICATED TODAY HE WOULD HAVE NEVER NEGOTIATED THE VIETNAM PEACE AGREEMENT IF HE HAD EXPECTED THAT DIFFICULTY IN GETTING ADEQUATE MILITARY AID FOR INDOCHINA THROUGH THE CONGRESS. MEANWHILE, THERE WAS A HOPEFUL NOTE IN KISSINGER'S CURRENT ME SHUTTLE DIPLOMACY - ON THE EVE OF HIS ARRIVAL IN EGYPT, THE EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENT ISSUED A STATEMENT IMPLYING IT IS READY TO RENOUNCE THE USE OF FORCE AGAINST ISRAEL AS LONG AS A NEW MILITARY DISENGAGEMENT AGREEMENT, IF ONE IS ACHIEVED, REMAINS IN EFFECT. (NO KOPPEL.)

2. NBC - CHANCELLOR: THERE WAS A POSSIBLY SIGNIFICANT PEACE DEVELOPMENT TODAY IN EGYPT WHILE SECRETARY OF STATE KISSINGER WAS DISCUSSING PEACE WITH THE ISRAELIS IN

JERUSALEM. THE EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENT MADE AN IMPLICIT PROMISE NOT TO USE FORCE AGAINST ISRAEL FOR THE DURATION OF ANY NEW TROOP DISENGAGEMENT AGREEMENT. THE GOVERNMENT STATEMENT PUT IT THIS WAY: IT IS EVIDENT THAT THE PARTIES CONCERNED DO NOT RESORT TO THE USE OF FORCE AS LONG AS THE PROVISIONS OF A DISENGAGEMENT AGREEMENT ARE VALID. NO VALERIANI AND NO MENTION OF SECRETARY.

3. CBS - ROGER MUDD: THE EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENT SAID LATE TODAY IT WOULD NOT USE FORCE AGAINST ISRAEL SO LONG AS A NEW SINAI TROOP DISENGAGEMENT AGREEMENT WAS IN FORCE. THE GOVERNMENT STATEMENT APPARENTLY WAS DESIGNED TO PLACATE ISRAEL, WHICH IS DEMANDING FROM EGYPT AN EXPLICIT NON-BELLIGERENCY PROMISE, SOMETHING EGYPT HAS REFUSED TO MAKE. SECRETARY OF STATE KISSINGER IS IN ISRAEL NOW, RETURNS TO EGYPT TOMORROW. MORE ON KISSINGER'S ME PEACE EFFORT FROM MARVIN KALB:

KALB: THIS NEGOTIATION HANGS ON THE EDGE OF FAILURE AND WHEN KISSINGER MET TODAY WITH PM RABIN, BOTH MEN KNEW THAT MAJOR COMPROMISES HERE AND IN EGYPT WOULD BE NEEDED TO BREAK THE DEADLOCK AND PRODUCE A DEAL. CBS NEWS

LEARNED THAT THERE ARE 3 LARGE AREAS OF DISAGREEMENT: FIRST, ISRAEL WANTS THE DEMILITARIZATION OF ALL AREAS TO BE EVACUATED. EGYPT AGREES ONLY TO A NARROW BUFFER ZONE, SO HER ARMIES CAN TAKE CONTROL OF THE STRATEGIC PASSES. SECOND, ISRAEL WANTS THE UN TROOPS TO HAVE AN INDEFINITE MANDATE. EGYPT AGREES ONLY TO A ONE YEAR MANDATE, WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF A SECOND YEAR. THIRD, ISRAEL STILL INSISTS ON THE NINE ELEMENTS OF NON-BELLIGERENCY. EGYPT REJECTS THIS CONCEPT THROUGH

UNOFFICIALLY SHE MIGHT ACCEPT A FEW OF THE ELEMENTS,

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BY THE TIME THE ISRAELI CABINET MET IN LENGTHY AND EXTRAORDINARY SESSION, EVERYONE RECOGNIZED THAT THE GAP BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES WAS CONSIDERABLE. ONE SOURCE SAID THE ISRAELIS WERE GRAPPLING WITH THE DOMESTIC CONSEQUENCES OF COMPROMISE AND THE INTERNATIONAL CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE. WHILE THE ISRAELIS DELIBERATED, KISSINGER FLEW OFF TO SAUDI ARABIA, THE USUAL ARAB STYLE EMBRACE, A PRELUDE TO A TWO-HOUR MEETING WITH KING FAISAL. THE SECRETARY GIVING HIM A FILL-IN ON THE STALLED NEGOTIATION, BUT MAKING A SPECIAL POINT OF ASSURING HIM THAT THE U.S. DOES NOT PLAN TO ATTACK SAUDI ARABIA IN ORDER TO INSURE A STEADY FLOW OF ARAB OIL.

LATE TONIGHT KISSINGER RETURNED TO ISRAEL WORRIED ABOUT THE POSSIBLE COLLASPE OF THIS NEGOTIATION, AND PERSUADED THAT THE WEAKENING OF AMERICA'S RESOLVE IN INDOCHINA, CONGRESS' RELUCTANCE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL AID, MAKES IT THAT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO GET AN AGREEMENT IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THAT SOUNDS VERY SELF-SERVING, BUT IT IS THE SECRETARY'S POSITION.

INGERSOLL

RT

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TO AMCONSUL JERUSALEM IMMEDIATE 8049
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TOSEC 768

E.O. 11652: N/A

SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT - WEDNESDAY MORNING, MARCH 19

NO. 33

SUMMARY: HAK ARRIVES RIYADH. ISRAELI CABINET GOES INTO SESSION. HAK WITHHOLDING SHUTTLE PLANS. GAP BETWEEN TWO SIDES WIDE. HAK EXPRESSES REGRETS HE NEGOTIATED VIET-NAM PEACE AGREEMENT.

WIRES:

1. UPI - HAK TOOK OFF FOR SAUDI ARABIA TODAY, GIVING ISRAEL MORE TIME TO CONSIDER ITS NEXT MOVE IN THE NEGOTIATIONS TOWARD A NEW SINAI DESERT TROOP WITHDRAWAL AGREEMENT WITH EGYPT.

BEFORE HE LEFT, HAK MET WITH PM RABIN AND ISRAELI NEGOTIATORS TO GET THEIR RESPONSE TO EGYPTIAN PROPOSALS HE BROUGHT BACK TUESDAY FROM ASWAN. ...

THE ISRAELI CABINET WENT INTO SESSION AT 11 AM TO DRAW UP THE GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE AND HOPED TO COMPLETE ITS DELIBERATIONS BY THE TIME HAK RETURNED IN THE EVENING.

HAK PLANNED TO BRIEF KING FAISAL ON THE PROGRESS OF HIS ISRAELI-EGYPTIAN NEGOTIATIONS. ...

THE SECRETARY DENIED THE TALKS WERE DEADLOCKED. HE SAID EGYPT AND ISRAEL ARE EXAMINING EACH OTHER'S POSITIONS "AND IN THAT SENSE WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS."

"I THINK THERE ARE SOME AREAS OF AGREEMENT AND THERE ARE SEVERAL SUBSTANTIAL AREAS OF DISAGREEMENT," HAK SAID.

2. AP (SCHWEID) - HAK INTERRUPTED HIS NEGOTIATIONS WITH ISRAELI AND EGYPTIAN LEADERS TODAY FOR A COURTESY CALL ON KING FAISAL.

THE SECRETARY FLEW TO RIYADH AFTER A 90-MINUTE MEETING WITH PREMIER RABIN AND HIS NEGOTIATING TEAM. THE SEMIOFFICIAL ISRAELI STATE RADIO REPORTED THAT THE PREMIER THEN CALLED A CABINET MEETING TO REPORT ON THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS.

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