142. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter1
SUBJECT
- Eilts’ Meeting with Sadat
Ambassador Eilts met with President Sadat early today to urge him to accept the peace treaty and its annexes. President Sadat’s considered reply was that he was not ready to give us an answer until he consulted with his advisers. Eilts estimates that it may be two or three more days before we have Sadat’s final answer.
Sadat made the following comments to Eilts:
—He wants you to know that 90 percent of the problems have been solved and he hopes that you will not be deterred from seeking the solution for the remaining 10 percent.
—A U.S. presence will be required and essential in all future negotiations.
[Page 502]—Sadat was extremely negative in his comments about Begin, but concluded that we would have to deal with him nonetheless. Sadat repeated his belief that a confrontation between you and Begin is essential at some point.
—Egypt will be patient even if it takes one month or more to conclude the negotiations.
—Sadat wants to reassure you that there will be no military confrontation, that he will not suspend the negotiations and that he is prepared to have his delegation return to Washington whenever they are needed.
—Sadat said there were still some bad elements in the treaty and that Boutros Ghali had been careless in looking after Egyptian interests. He specifically noted that Article IV places no time limit on the security arrangements in the Sinai and he again termed Article VI unacceptable.
- Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Country File, Box 55, Middle East: Peace Talks Between Egypt and Israel, 11–12/78. Secret. Sent for information. Aaron initialed the memorandum on Brzezinski’s behalf. Carter initialed “C” at the top of the memorandum, indicating that he saw the document.↩