377. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Egypt1
140586. Subject: Mobarak Visit—Autonomy Talks.
1. (S-entire text.)
[Page 1256]2. Following is a summary report on Mobarak’s discussions here on autonomy negotiations.2 Mobarak met alone with the President3 for 20 minutes May 23; had lunch with the Secretary (this was mostly a social occasion with no business of importance transpiring); and then met with Ambassador Linowitz later the same day for more than an hour.
3. In meeting with the President, Mobarak in essence sought the President’s views as to whether a quick resumption of the negotiations was desirable or, alternatively, whether it would be better to have a more extended pause. The President later directed that Mobarak be asked to convey back to Sadat a brief message that (a) he would prefer that the talks be started again as soon as possible and (b) we would try to get an appropriate statement on Jerusalem.
4. On the way to the airport upon departure, Mobarak indicated some personal disappointment with the message, pointing out that Sadat’s suspension of the talks had been favorably received in the Arab world, and this was important to Egypt.
5. In conversations with Ambassador Linowitz,4 Mobarak and former Prime Minister Khalil,5 whose visit overlapped with the Vice President’s, made it clear that they do not expect the negotiations to register much progress before the U.S. elections in November. Both stressed Egyptian willingness to continue the talks provided we can get assurances from the Israelis that the Cohen Bill6 on Jerusalem will not be voted into law. Khalil agreed that either a letter from Burg to Linowitz or Burg’s confirmation of Linowitz’s understanding of the situation would permit Egypt to resume the talks.7 Mobarak said he be [Page 1257] lieved that even a unilateral US assurance that the bill would not go forward would suffice. Both Mobarak and Khalil expressed dismay over Israeli settlement activity and actions on the West Bank but did not go so far as to make Israeli assurances in these areas a pre-condition to resuming the talks.
- Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P870047–2246. Secret; Immediate; Nodis. Drafted by Sterner and Walker; cleared by Hunter and Jane E. Taylor (S/S–O); approved by Draper. Sent for information Immediate to Tel Aviv and the White House.↩
- In addition to the discussions on the status of the autonomy negotiations noted here, Mubarak met with Brown on May 23 on the supply of parts and munitions to the Egyptian military, the progress of the F–4 fighter program for the Egyptian Air Force, and the planned temporary deployment of U.S. F–4 fighter aircraft to Cairo West airbase in support of that program. The memorandum of conversation of this meeting is in the Washington National Records Center, OSD Files, FRC 330–81–0446, DEM Memcons, Reporting Cables. Mubarak also discussed an Egyptian request for additional economic assistance with Muskie on May 23. The Department of State conveyed a summary of their conversation to the Embassy in Cairo in telegram 142653 to Cairo, May 31; National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D800266–0536.↩
- According to the President’s Daily Diary, Carter met privately with Mubarak from 11:01 a.m. to 11:20 a.m., before joining Ghorbal, el-Baz, Muskie, Sterner, Brzezinski, and Hunter in the Cabinet Room from 11:20 a.m. to 11:25 a.m. on May 23. (Carter Library, Presidential Materials) No memoranda of conversation of these meetings have been found.↩
- No record of Linowitz’s conversation with Mubarak has been found.↩
- Carter met with Khalil in the Oval Office from 9:51 a.m. to 10:02 a.m. on May 23. The memorandum of conversation of this meeting is in the Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East, Trips/Visits File, Box 119, 5/23/80 Visit of Former Prime Minister Khalil of Egypt: 5/80.↩
- See Document 371.↩
- See Document 380.↩