Before leaving for Washington, Mr. Begin expressed the hope that an agreement could be achieved. He also denied hints of renewed U.S. pressure on Israel and that the President had set a time limit on the negotiations. Text:
Hebrew:
Good morning Ladies and Gentlemen. I am going now to the United States for talks with President Carter. I repeat: for talks with President Carter and with no one else, with faith and certainty that I represent a just cause. We have made inestimable sacrifices and taken dangers upon ourselves for the sake of peace. However, it must be for peace -it cannot be that the document Israel signs will contain non-peace. The latest Egyptian proposals, including some which are supported by the U.S. Government - it must be said forthrightly and frankly, though with sorrow - would turn the document into one of non-peace. Take, for example, the famous Article 6 in the Peace Treaty. There are those who talk about "Legalisms". This claim is unfounded. Article 6 is the heart of the treaty. If there are compilations of interpretations which render its contents meaningless, it is not a Peace Treaty. As I said yesterday the document turns into a treaty of war and for war one does not need treaties. Israel wants peace. Wants it more than any other nation. The Middle East is in a very serious situation. The flames of war are spreading from one place to another. In these days Israel is the only stable element because its stability is a function of its democracy. it is also not a weak nation. It stands its grounds because it is justified in its claim that peace with Egypt should be not only for us but for our children and their children as well. These are the things I will tell President Carter. There are hints of pressures and so on. I wish to say simply I am not going to undergo pressures. Israel has withstood many tests and I hope that with the blessings of the citizens of the State, regardless of party affiliation, and with God's help, I will withstand pressures should they be applied. I hope they will not be applied and that instead I will be asked to explain Israel's positions. This is the essence of my mission today to the United States of America.
Q. How do you feel about the fact that there are hints in the U.S., even though they have been denied, that President Carter has said that there are only ten more days time for the negotiations to succeed. At any rate there are hints that time is running out as far as the U.S. is concerned. Is this not a sign of pressure?
A. No. I don't agree with that assessment. Not ten days - I would not even say ten weeks. We have no time limit. Peace is not a matter of some limited time. Sometimes negotiations are carried on for years. Many nations have done so. There is no reason to be impressed by the highs and lows. We are not interested in dragging out the negotiations and wish for peace to be achieved quickly, but it is inconceivable to talk about ten days or two weeks etc.
Q. Will you present a new viewpoint to President Carter regarding the Israeli position?
A. There are Government decisions and I will act accordingly.
Questions in English
Q. Foreign Minister Dayan was quoted as saying that the President has set a time limit - on concluding the negotiations and signing the Treaty. Is that true sir, and how do you feel about it?
A. First of all it was denied by Mr. Powell on behalf of the President and secondly, I did not hear my friend the Foreign Minister make such a statement, so probably there is no basis for it.
Q. In the light of the major differences still existing towards a Peace Treaty with Egypt is the option of a partial settlement open to Israel?
A. No. We are not going to deal with partial settlements and half of partial settlements. We want peace. A peace treaty for generations to come. This is our aim and we have not changed it.
Q. Of all the problems that exist now - that you say are very serious and the President claims are minor ones -which is the key problem that you feel if it could be solved would lead the way to solving all the other?
A. There are several key problems. One of them I have already quoted because it was mentioned this morning on the radio when I came here to the airfield, and we shall deal with then, but I can only repeat what I told you yesterday: Respectfully I do not agree with the President when he says that the differences are insignificant. The differences are very serious and they may decide the future of the people of Israel and also the future of the people of this region. Therefore we shall deal with them seriously.