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VOLUME 8: 1982-1984
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28. Remarks by Prime Minister Begin and President Reagan at the White House, 21 June 1982.
While the I.D.F was tightening the siege on Beirut, the political arena shifted to the United States. On 20 June Mr. Begin met in New York with Secretary of State Haig who requested that Philip Habib be allowed to reach an agreement permitting the P. L. 0. to leave Beirut unharmed. Israel was asked to agree to a 48 hour cease-fire and Mr. Begin accepted. As for the future, Mr. Haig fell that the P. L. 0. would have to be removed from Beirut, but that should preferably be done by Lebanese forces. When Mr. Begin arrived at the White House, the President read a prepared statement arguing that the time had come to cease fire and to pursue a diplomatic arrangement. He said that the U.S. has now faced an alarmed Russia, worried western European nations and its position in the Arab world had been seriously compromised While he agreed with Israel that all foreign forces would have to leave Lebanon and that a stable government be established there, he added that it could not be imposed and called for Israeli military restraint. At the conclusion of the meeting, the two statesmen made the following remarks:
Prime Minister Begin:
Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen. Good afternoon. I am deeply grateful to my friend, the President of the United States, for his invitation to come to visit him again after my first visit in September 1981 in the White House and hold a discussion, a very fruitful discussion, with the President and his advisors. Everybody of you knows that we face now a situation in the Middle East which calls for activity, great attention and understanding. I have read in some newspapers in this great country that Israel invaded Lebanon. This is a misnomer. Israel did not invade any country. You are doing that in a land when you want to conquer it or to annex it or at least conquer part of it. We don't covet even one inch of Lebanese territory and willingly we will withdraw our troops, all of our troops, and bring them back home as soon as possible. As soon as possible means as soon as arrangements are made that never again will our citizens, men, women and children, be attacked, maimed and killed by armed bands operating in Lebanon and armed and supported by the Soviet Union and satellites. There is hope to believe that such arrangements will be made and that all foreign forces without exception will be withdrawn from Lebanon, and there will be an independent, free Lebanon based on its territorial integrity, and the day is near that such a neighbor of Israel will sign a peace treaty and live in peace forever. Thank you.
President Reagan:
It has been worthwhile to have Prime Minister Begin at the White House again. All of us share a common understanding of the need to bring peace and security to the Middle East. Today we have had an opportunity to exchange views on how this cause can be advanced. In Lebanon it is clear that we and Israel both seek an end to the violence there and a sovereign, independent Lebanon under the authority of a strong, central government. We agree that Israel must not be subjected to violence from the North, and the United States will continue to work to achieve these goals and to secure the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Lebanon.
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