Foreign Relations of the United States, 1977–1980, Volume IX, Arab-Israeli Dispute, August 1978–December 1980, Second, Revised Edition

388. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassies in Israel and Egypt¹

Washington, July 8, 1980, 0103Z

178916. Subject: Washington Autonomy Talks.

1. (S-entire text)

2. Summary: Following for the record and your information is report of meetings which lead to July 2 decision to resume autonomy talks.

3. Ambassador Linowitz met alone with Burg evening of July 1 and breakfasted alone with Ali July 2. Burg was bristly about Egyptian inconstancy and said Israeli Government and public increasingly doubtful of Egyptian intentions. He was particularly upset about media report he said he had heard to effect that Egyptian Parliament had passed resolution stating that Jerusalem was to be capital of future Palestinian state. However, he said he and his team ready to do business of course, without preconditions, and could work here on Sunday² if necessary. Ali reviewed for Linowitz the expected litany of Egyptian concerns—Jerusalem, settlements, conditions on West Bank—but did not reveal in breakfast meeting that he was not authorized to agree to resumption.

4. Wednesday³ morning trilateral meeting (for about three hours) consumed for most part by both Burg and Ali airing their grievances. Ali was unaware of report out of Cairo (above) which was agitating Burg so that issue was laid aside. Ali pressed Burg on Cohen Bill⁴ and Burg, helpfully, replied with some heat that he had not wanted the bill to move to full Knesset at this time, and that he felt almost betrayed by David Glass whose future in NRP would be dark if he, Burg, had anything to say about it. While neither was convinced by the other, Burg and Ali had an articulate and intelligent exchange on the settlements question. Ali did not raise with Burg question of movement of Begin’s office to East Jerusalem⁵ (though Linowitz had in private meeting with Burg) but did review again the need for Israel to undertake confidence-building measures among Palestinians of West Bank and Gaza.

5. After air was to some degree cleared by these exchanges, Linowitz pressed hard for need to agree on first day to language on agreement to resume negotiations and gave them draft text to this effect. Ali said he would have to consult Cairo overnight and that text “could be discussed” on July 3. Linowitz said the three of them should discuss it right then, before their afternoon meeting⁶ with President Carter. Ali then said he had no authority to agree to resumption but would try to contact Cairo immediately. Burg wondered what he was doing in Washington if Ali could not agree to resume talks. Burg and Ali agreed to meeting again with Linowitz just before meeting the President.

6. In this second brief trilateral meeting before seeing President Carter, Ali said he could not agree to announcement of agreement to resume talks. He said he had to consult further with Cairo. Ali proposed a draft announcement which would state only that three delegations heads had talked and would consult further with their governments.

7. Meeting with the President: At Ali’s request the President met alone with him⁷ for a few minutes during which Ali delivered personal message from Sadat. Trilateral meeting then began. This was at first a replay of morning meeting with Linowitz, with Ali disclaiming authority to agree to resume and stating he had been unable to reach Cairo. President pressed Ali to call Sadat from White House with successful result⁸ you now know. Subsequently the President met alone briefly with Burg (with President out of town⁹ we have thus far been unable to get a read-out on his private meeting with Burg and specifically whether he raised issue of moving Prime Minister’s office to East Jerusalem).

8. Meetings July 3 at heads of delegation and other levels concentrated on text of resumption statement for that day’s press conference and on the agreed schedule of talks already reported to you by septel. While talks at heads of delegation level were amicable, though candid, mood at lower levels was cooler than usual. Israelis were incensed by al-Baz’ contacts with media, particularly his appearance on morning news show July 2, after heads of delegation had agreed there would not be such contacts until after meetings had ended. Egyptians accompanying Ali did not favor resumption and were frustrated by Sadat’s willingness to resume and U.S. request for him to do so. Amer Mousa particularly rubbed Israelis against the grain. Kubersky and Gabbai sensed Egyptian mood and tried to be helpful by giving way on a number of points in reaching agreement on text of resumption statement. Ali has substantially improved his image with Israelis although they still have questions about his ability to stand up to al-Baz as they believed Khalil had done. For his part, Burg left talks generally pleased and hopeful about the possibility for progress in the future. After talks with Amb Linowitz Burg was under no illusions about implications of any Israeli moves on Jerusalem and will be discussing this matter with Begin.

Christopher

1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East, Trips/Visits File, Box 119, 7/2/80 Visit of Interior Minister Burg of Israel and Foreign Minister Ali of Egypt: 6–7/80. Secret; Immediate; Nodis. Sent for information Immediate to the White House. Printed from a copy that indicates the original was received in the White House Situation Room. Drafted by Wat T. Cluverius (S/SN); cleared by Hunter, Sterner, Walker (S/SN), and Robert S. Steven (S/S–O); approved by Linowitz. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P880143–1255)
2. July 13.
3. July 9.
4. See Document 371.
5. On June 25, Lewis met with Begin to discuss a series of press reports indicating that planning had begun to transfer the Israeli Prime Minister’s office to East Jerusalem. Lewis emphasized the negative impact a move would have on the course of the autonomy talks, the attitudes of U.S. leaders “from President Carter down,” and “Israel’s already battered image in the United States and Europe,” as well as the “increased diplomatic isolation inevitable when cabinet-level visitors or Ambassadors from friendly countries were unable to call upon Begin in his East Jerusalem offices.” (Telegram 11739 from Tel Aviv, June 25; National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P880143–1807)
6. See Document 387.
7. See footnote 2, Document 387.
8. Following Ali’s July 2 telephone conversation with him, Sadat assented to the resumption of the talks beginning July 10. (Telegram 14786 from Cairo, July 3; National Archives, Central Foreign Policy File, D800320–0183) The following day, July 3, the Egyptian, Israeli, and U.S. delegations agreed to a tentative schedule of meetings through August 5. (Telegram 176039 to Cairo and Tel Aviv, July 4; National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P870047–2631)
9. President and Mrs. Carter departed Washington on July 3, for a series of public appearances in California and Florida, before returning to their home in Plains, Georgia, July 4–8. On July 8, Carter flew to Tokyo to attend funeral services for former Japanese Prime Minister Masayoshi Ohira and returned to Washington on July 10. (Carter Library, Presidential Materials, President’s Daily Diary)