Aboard a Historic Flight

TIME's Cairo bureau chief, Wilton Wynn, was the only American magazine journalist aboard the plane that flew Sadat from Abu Suweir Airport near Ismailia to Tel Aviv. A special guest of the Egyptian President, Wynn cabled from Jerusalem this account of the historic flight:

On a chilly night lighted by a half-moon in a starry sky, Sadat was flown by helicopter from his rest house in Ismailia on the Suez Canal to the military airport at Abu Suweir. About 50 local members of parliament and Sadat's Cabinet waited to see him off. Wearing a gray checked suit and a silvery tie, the President was beaming as he hopped down from the helicopter and bade farewell to its crew.

While inspecting an honor guard of lancers, he suddenly glanced to his left, broke into a broad grin and roared: "Barbara, so you did come." He stretched out his hand to greet Barbara Walters of ABC. A moment later, he was shouting "Walter!" and pumping the hand of CBS Anchorman Walter Cronkite, whose double interview with Sadat and Begin had set the stage for the visit. Sadat clearly enjoyed the company of these media celebrities. Aboard the plane, he tweaked Walters about her much-publicized ABC contract: "Barbara, you make a million dollars a year, and my salary is only $12,000." "Yes, Mr. President," she answered, "but you have fringe benefits, like palaces."

The presidential jet took off at 7:30. Sadat traveled in his own compartment, a tastefully decorated section furnished with swivel chairs, two soft corner couches, a TV set and an electronics board that flashed the altitude, speed, time and weather. On the walls were satellite photographs of Egypt, including one of the Sinai Peninsula. On the desk was a vase of yellow flowers.

Sadat insisted that everybody have a quick snack (coffee, cheese and roast beef sandwiches) before settling down to talk. The President was asked if he were disturbed by the criticism of the trip throughout the Arab world. "Do I look worried?" he answered with a chuckle. "As you see, I am quite calm, quite happy. This is our custom in the Arab world. We agree on strategic issues, but maybe we don't agree on tactical issues."

I asked Sadat how he compared this moment with the H-hour on Oct. 6, 1973, when he sent his army across the Suez Canal. He became serious and leaned forward. "I want to show that it would not have been necessary to do what we did in October of 1973 if [the Israelis] had responded to my diplomatic effort before."

Sadat emphasized that he was ready to talk substance with Begin, "ready to discuss everything." He also disclosed that he had in his pocket some concrete proposals to make to Begin, but would not say what they were. Once or twice during the conversation, Sadat talked just a wee bit tough. "If they choose to start anything," he said, "I am ready for it." Another time, he warned: "If they don't heed the real facts in the area, they must meet the consequences." He pointedly mentioned that the second Sinai disengagement agreement expires next October.

Sadat continued to talk and joke with correspondents even after the aircraft began its descent to Ben Gurion Airport and the "fasten seat belts" sign began flashing. The four attractive stewardesses aboard looked frantic; finally, Hassan Kamel, director of Sadat's office, had to plead with us: "Please return to your seats, we are almost ready to land." When the wheels touched the tarmac, the passengers turned to each other to say "Welcome" and "Mabrouk "(congratulations). One of Sadat's aides peered out of the window at the brilliant red carpet leading to the ramp and the massive sign proclaiming WELCOME TO ISRAEL, PRESIDENT SADAT in Arabic, Hebrew and English. "Just look at that," he said. "I never would have believed it."

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