137. Telegram From the Embassy in Jordan to the Department of State1
7858. Subject: Message From King Hussein to President Carter. Ref: Amman 7856.2
Advance text follows of letter from King Hussein to President Carter (reftel) dated October 26, 1977.
Begin text: Dear Mr. President:
I wish to thank you most sincerely for your message of October 15 which contained your proposal for the reconvening of the Geneva Conference.3 I am deeply impressed with your commitment to a just settlement for the conflict in the Middle East and your personal involvement in the construction of the structure of such a settlement. Your insight into the realities of the Middle East situation is matched only by your inspiring dedication to the cause of justice and durable peace. In my contacts with my fellow leaders in the Arab world I am sparing no effort to urge them to meet your brave and constructive initiatives with a positive attitude and genuine cooperation. I appreciate the difficulties that you and many of us in the region face in trying to steer events in a constructive direction in view of the complex circumstances and accumulated problems relating to the Middle Eastern and Palestinian questions. I have been in touch with our main Arab partners in the peace efforts and urged them to focus, as you suggested, on substance rather than form and procedure. I have urged them further to help remove the obstacles in the way of convening the Geneva Conference so that any efforts you may exert on behalf of the United States may be more fruitful and more directed to the real issues of withdrawal, the Palestinian future and guaranteed peace.
While fully aware of the necessity of addressing ourselves to the issues of substance, I nevertheless believe, Mr. President, that some organizational and procedural issues have direct bearing on the future progress of the negotiations in Geneva. Moreover, the satisfactory solution of these problems can open the way to the participation of all the parties in the Conference. Having considered thoroughly the American [Page 728] “working paper” enclosed in your message, we have, in Jordan, arrived at the following points regarding it:
1. The “working paper” is a procedural one and has therefore to be read together with your other substantive pronouncements regarding withdrawal and Palestinian self-determination in the framework of a peace settlement.
2. We support the idea of a unified Arab delegation which would include representatives of the Palestinian people.
3. We believe that the determination of the political future of the Palestinian Arabs who reside in the West Bank and Gaza as well as the refugees must be discussed collectively in the Conference and on the basis of the principle of self-determination in the context of withdrawal from the West Bank and Gaza. The question of the refugees need not be separated from other aspects of the Palestinian question.
4. There is no connection between the real and existing problem of the Palestinian refugees and the claim that a problem of “Jewish refugees” exists and is connected with the Arab-Israeli conflict.
5. We favor discussion of the main joint problems (such as the Palestinian problem and peace obligations and guarantees) in a collective context, whether in plenary or committee, and the discussion of strictly bilateral questions in a bilateral context in the conference.
Mr. President,
We are not wedded to any specific organizational formula for the Geneva Conference. Nor do we want to complicate the way to the convening of the Conference. Our remarks are of a general character and can be expressed in various organizational forms.
I do hope sincerely that the Conference would be convened soon and that we can all then devote our efforts to the more fruitful, if equally painstaking, task of negotiating a just and durable settlement.
I am encouraged by your personal perseverance in this matter and your wise and fair judgement. I shall continue to work closely with you and cooperate to my fullest capacity so that our joint efforts may lead to a just peace in our region and a positive era of relationship between the Arab world and the United States.
I wish you every success together with good health and happiness.
End text. Comments reftel.
- Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P840089–1705. Secret; Immediate; Nodis.↩
- In telegram 7856 from Amman, October 26, Ambassador Pickering reported on Royal Court Chief Sharaf’s point by point analysis of King Hussein’s letter. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P840084–1034)↩
- Apparently a reference to the October 14 message Carter sent Hussein. See Document 131.↩