Statement on Meeting with Mideast Ambassadors
(June 11, 1981)
The President today is meeting with the Ambassadors
to discuss his initiatives for peace in the Middle East. He wants the
Ambassadors of the various countries to be aware of his commitment and
the commitment of the United States to the furtherance of the peace
process in that critical region of the world. He wishes the Ambassadors
to convey this to their respective governments. The President will welcome
their views on this matter.
The mission of Ambassador Habib continues today with
the important goals as outlined by the President when he asked the Ambassador
to undertake this important venture. This is to seek a reduction of
the tensions and a lessening of the possibility of conflict arising
out of developments in Lebanon which affect the entire region. The President
regards this goal to be of utmost importance. He wishes that the Habib
mission will continue in cooperation with the concerned parties, whom
we hope share our sense of the mission's continued importance.
[The President said,] ``The incident [Referring to
the Israeli bombing of the Osirak nuclear facility near Baghdad, Iraq]
earlier this week is evidence the only answer in the Middle East is
to achieve a true peace. As long as there is suspicion among the nations,
the specter of further tragedies will hang over us.''
Note: Deputy Press Secretary Larry M. Speakes read
the statement at the daily press briefing in the Briefing Room at the
White House.
Prior to reading the statement, Mr. Speakes announced
that the President would be holding afternoon meetings at the Oval Office
with, first, Ambassadors Abdulaziz Abdulrahman Buali of Bahrain, Sheikh
Faisal Alhegelan of Saudi Arabia, Ali Bengelloun of Morocco, Al-Sharif
Fawaz Sharaf of Jordan, and Omer Salih Eissa of Sudan and, then, Ambassador
Ephraim Evron of Israel.
Sources: Public Papers of the President |