In this interview, Mr. Shamir elaborated again on the three main issues with which Israel and Egypt were dealing at the time: the final phase of the Israeli withdrawal from Sinai, normalization of relations; and the autonomy negotiations. Text:
Mr. Shamir: We must take into account that many people in the world have already buried the autonomy, eulogized it. All those holding the shovels have already announced that Camp David is dead and therefore new alternatives and ideas must be searched for. There were those who suggested different remedies that we saw as worthless: Fahd's proclamation of his 8 point plan, the seemingly new idea to include the P.L.O. in the negotiations, the dying European initiative.
I think that the decision of the two sides to approach energetically the renewal of the autonomy talks blocks the way before other options which, in fact, are not options, as we will not agree to any one of them. Camp David is the only alternative that both sides, Israel and Egypt, have so far agreed upon. I am convinced, we are convinced, that it is possible to reach an agreement in the future.
Q: You say "It is possible to reach an agreement", but; can you suggest the way that until now has not been tried? As there have long been negotiations and only an impasse has been reached, perhaps the danger is that when the next round of talks reach an impasse, then certainly the other suggested alternatives to Camp David will arise even stronger. So what is the way?
A: We know of all the differences of opinions that exist between us and Egypt in all the issues to be discussed. However, these differences demand discussion and an effort, an intellectual effort, to overcome them. I believe that it is possible, since one can say that up until today there were really no serious negotiations - in any event there was no serious effort made on the side of the Egyptians to delve into the problems and to try to find the answers that will be acceptable to both sides. I believe that it is possible if the autonomy is approached from the point of view that it is, after all is said and done, in a certain situation that existed for a certain period regard to the meeting in Washington. We will need to discuss the whole range of important issues that concern Israel and the United States. The issues are numerous and important.