PRESS CONFERENCE
OPENING STATEMENT BY
DEPUTY MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU
MADISON HOTEL, WASHINGTON D.C.
DECEMBER 18, 1991 - 3:00 P.M.
We are concluding today several rounds of talks in Washington. We've had
altogether six total days of talks, 25 separate meetings, 65 hours of
talks. I think, since I'm giving you statistics, you might be interested
in the breakdown. We had 30 hours of talks in the Israel-Jordanian-
Palestinian delegations, 19 hours of talks with the Israel-Lebanese
delegations, and 16 hours with the Israel-Syrian delegations. This does
not reflect at all on substance, intensity, conviviality, quality.
What I think is important is that we have made significant headway in
these talks. Remember that prior to Washington, we had one meeting, one
day's meetings in Madrid, where Arabs and Israels other than Egypt
for the first time sat opposite one another. That was a very preliminary
meeting. What we were able to do in Washington was to begin to probe
substance, the deepest issues of substance as far as we're concerned,
with the Arab delegations that were facing us in the negotiating room
I should say, in one case in the negotiating corridor.
In all cases, I think we're well ahead of where we were a few weeks ago
in Madrid. We're well ahead because we now have had a chance to explore
each other's positions, to present our own positions to the other side,
to get to know the people involved, to get them to know us. This is not
only a policy exchange, a negotiating exchange of countries. It's also a
negotiating arena, if you will, of individuals, of people. And this
applies as well for the talks with the Palestinian-Jordanian delegation.
We would have wanted to be further along, I readily admit that. But we
have had this opportunity, in the corridor as well, to exchange views,
to exchange papers, to correct papers or sent suggestions to each other,
to get to know intimately, in fact perhaps more intimately on the
couch the opposite sides, and for them to get to know us.
We are leaving tonight at 11:00 o'clock. We have begun an exchange which
is now partially underway I hope it will be completed by the end of
the day to have direct links, phone numbers, contacts, so that we can
continue the contacts in the intercession leading up to the resumption
of the talks. We have not yet set a date, but we will, I'm sure. We will
set a time and a place to continue the talks.
Israel is committed to pursue these talks. We would like to pursue them
to their final conclusion, which means peace treaties with our
neighbors, and of course an autonomy arrangement with the Palestinian
Arabs. This is our goal, and we are not going to be flagging in it, we
will not be deterred by this or that difficulty. We think, on the whole,
that we're on the right track, or, as someone said, on the right tracks.
We're on the right track and proceeding, I think, well ahead of some
other negotiations that we've witnessed, including those that were
conducted by this government. But we appreciate the help given by the
United States government, the hospitality given to us in Washington, and
we hope to resume the talks some time after the new year.