The bulk of the interview was devoted to the American efforts to get talks started between Israel and a JordanianPalestinian delegation. Israel adhered to its position that there should be no prior U.S.-Arab talks without Israel, and Mr. Peres questioned the premise that the PLO had changed was prepared to accept Resolution 242 as basis for talks. The prime minister felt that some progress was being made because of the joint Israeli-American strategy which rejected an international conference and PLO participation and called for direct talks between the parties concerned. The parts of the interview dealing with foreign affairs follow:
Q: Last Saturday night [1.6.85] you received a message from U.S. Secretary of State Shultz, saying that King Hussein agrees to open negotiations with us this year. In parallel, Shultz said that some members of the Jordanian-Palestinian delegation could be members of the Palestine National Council (PNC). What is your reply to Shultz's message?
A: First of all, permit me to correct you. He didn't say that there would be members of the PNC in the delegation [that would negotiate] with us. He said that the Americans would meet first with a Jordanian-Palestinian delegation. Incidentally, the message contains no mention of the PNC - he mentioned the PNC in a press conference. But he let it be understood that [the PNC could take part] in a meeting with the Americans. As for the Israeli side, he said: PLO - no. IT tell you what I think we should reply, but let me first explain the actual contents of the matter. I say to Mr. Shultz: Actually, if you really think, according to your assessment, that this is a breakthrough - Jordan has moved ahead, the PLO has changed - what brought about this breakthrough? Our stand, your stand, our joint stand. The question is whether this is the time to break up both the partnership and the stand. Has the time come? And Shultz himself it's not something that started today. This position received some encouragement because of the King Hussein's statements now in Washington. As regards an international conference, there is agreement between us'. The British government opposed such a conference, (and) does not see in it any contribution to the peace process.
Q: Margaret Thatcher has spoken on innumerable occasions about the need to combat terrorism. What, then, was her personal attitude towards the PLO?
A: Today as well she says that she opposes any cooperation of any kind with terrorism, and that she is in favor of international cooperation in the battle against terrorism in the Middle East and everywhere else. But she believes that in any case, in order to advance the matter of peace in the Middle East, one must speak to people who are acceptable to Arabs of Eretz Israel."