Rabin: 'How Difficult It Is'

Toward the end of his visit to Washington, Israeli Premier Yitzhak Rabin met with TIME Diplomatic Editor Jerrold Schecter and Jerusalem Correspondent Marlin Levin and assessed his talks with President Ford and Secretary of State Kissinger.

Q. Do the U.S. and Israel agree on the issue of P.L.O. recognition at a reconvened Geneva Conference?

A. To the best of my knowledge, the U.S. position is that as long as the P.L.O. does not accept U.N. Resolutions 242 and 338 [which recognize Israel's right to exist], the U.S. will oppose negotiations with the P.L.O. Since the P.L.O. has not given the slightest hint that they are ready to accept the U.S. formula, they are out of the negotiations from the point of view of both Israel and the U.S.

Q. Could the Palestinians be part of the Jordan delegation?

A. No doubt. It would be advisable--we cannot dictate--for Jordan to have within its own mission the leaders of the people in the area whose future is going to be discussed and decided.

Q. Would you rule out Yasser Arafat as a member of the Jordan delegation?

A. I don't believe that this is a problem that has to be answered now. You want names. I stress principles. First: that the negotiations should be conducted between us and Jordan. Second: we have no objection to Palestinians in the Jordan delegation. We do not put preconditions to the issues. Once there, every side can raise every issue it wants to.

Q. What might Israel offer at Geneva?

A. For a real peace, I am ready for considerable concessions including territorial concessions. But I don't believe it is advisable to define them exactly at the present when there are no negotiations.

Q. What is the prospect of another war?

A. Only one country might endanger the present stability in the Middle East. That country is Syria. I think the main purpose of Syria in May of this year [when the mandate expires] will be to play brinkmanship and threaten war for the sake of extricating gains. But I have to say this with certain reservations because logic was not the dominant factor in the behavior of Syria.

Q. What about Syria's role in Lebanon?

A. The Syrians stabilized a political situation that they themselves made and imposed on Lebanon through the full control of the Palestinians. The Syrians achieved their intermediate goal. Under the threat of invasion from the P.L.A., the leaders there accepted it. The Syrian success in Lebanon shows how difficult it is to move toward peace.

Q. How will the Middle East be affected by the U.S. presidential elections?

A. The Syrian game is based on the assumption that in the U.S. is softer and the capabilities for them to blackmail the U.S. for political concessions are better. I hope that after the American veto in the Security Council this week they will reconsider this position.

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