On the eve of his departure for the Middle East, Secretary Kissinger held a new conference and in reply to a question explained the purpose of his trip. Excerpts:
Q: A two-part question, Mr. Secretary, on your trip. Will you be emphasizing an Israeli-Egyptian settlement, an Israeli-Jordan settlement, or both? And do you plan, or are there any possibilities to meet with Arafat or any other Palestinian leader while you are in the Middle East?
A: With respect to the second question, there is no possibility that I will see Arafat or any other Palestinian leader while I am in the Middle East.
As for the content of the negotiations, we have attempted, in discussion with both Israeli and Arab leaders, to determine what would be the most suitable next stage of the negotiations.
It has always been understood that progress in one area would have to be linked with progress in other areas. And therefore, we are talking about timing and the particular stages that look most promising.
So I am not going with any fixed ideas, and I will discuss again with all of the leaders involved. And then one can form a common judgment.
I would like to point out that there will be no concrete results in terms of agreements or dramatic announcements that can be expected out of this trip. The primary purpose is to give concreteness to the negotiating process, and perhaps to agree on some timing.
As long as we are talking about the trip, I would like to add that I will also visit Saudi Arabia in connection with the negotiations. And, on the way home, I will stop in Algeria and Morocco, and I will be back on the 15th.