Remarks to
Reporters Following Visit of Israeli PM Begin
(April 16, 1980)
THE PRESIDENT. Good morning, everybody. First of all,
I would like to say that it's been a delight to have Prime Minister
Begin and his team from Israel here to discuss matters of common interest
between our two countries, and particularly to emphasize the issues
that are being resolved to carry out all the terms of the Camp David
accords. Following my meeting last week with President Sadat, those
issues were identified, and the possible differences were also delineated.
I can say that this has been a very constructive and
a very productive talk between myself and Prime Minister Begin. We believe
that we will now have a concerted effort during this next 40 days to
conclude the agreement between Israel and Egypt, with our full participation,
by May the 26th. That is our goal. And the meetings will be held, at
Prime Minister Begin's suggestion and with the approval of President
Sadat, in Egypt and in Israel with, as I say, full participation by
the United States.
So, we are delighted at the progress that has been
made. We have a long way to go before final agreement. Our goal is to
conclude it by May the 26th, and I think we have made good progress
toward that goal.
I'd like to introduce now my good friend and a distinguished
visitor, one that we honor in every way, Prime Minister Begin, representing
the great nation of Israel.
THE PRIME MINISTER. Thank you, Mr. President. I wish
to express my thanks to the President for his invitation and for the
time we spent together, either privately or with our colleagues and
advisers in the Cabinet Room and held very serious talks. Usually in
our time, when you say that the talks were conducted in friendship and
frankness, people immediately say, "Oh, that proves that there
were great differences of opinion between them." Therefore, I will
not say those words. I will state very simply—and it is absolutely
truthful-we had very good talks, thanks to the atmosphere created by
the President, in the Cabinet Room, and we also held private talks,
the President and myself.
I think we made real progress. And all of us concerned
will do their utmost to bring about an agreement which will make possible
to install the full autonomy for the Palestinian Arabs, inhabitants
of Judea, Samaria, and the Gaza District, and assure Israel's security,
as all of us are interested in. And therefore, we'll make a special
effort in Egypt and in Israel, dividing the 40 days left until that
date into two. And we shall negotiate not only intensively but daily,
almost every hour, with very short intervals, and so there is a hope,
indeed, that we may reach that goal. Of course, we are all human and,
perhaps, if there is a necessity to continue for a while, we of course
will do so gladly.
And therefore, I leave now Washington, again in a spirit
of faith, and I want to again reiterate our deep friendship for the
American people, the United States, for the role they play in the world.
I want to express my wish that very soon the hostages come back home
from Iran and rejoin their families, and that all of us men who believe
in liberty stand by it and defend it successfully.
The relations between the United States and Israel
are important from this point of view, and therefore we not only cherish
them, we are going to develop them in the future as well.
Mr. President, my colleagues and I are very grateful
to you and to your colleagues for the wonderful hospitality you extended
to us during the 2 days in Washington. Thank you very much.
THE PRESIDENT. Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister. Good
luck to you. Thank you so much.
Sources: Public Papers of the President |