Reagan Mideast Stand Criticized by Mubarak

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, his voice rising for emphasis, Wednesday branded the Reagan Administration’s cautious Middle East diplomacy “almost a defeatist approach” that threatens to scuttle a historic chance for peace.

In a speech to the National Press Club, Mubarak displayed frustration at the outcome of his private talks with President Reagan the day before.

Reagan, while praising Mubarak’s new Mideast peace initiative, rejected its key elements--a more active American role, including direct talks between U.S. representatives and a delegation approved by the Palestine Liberation Organization.

Wait-and-See Approach

“Some have suggested that the United States should wait and see how things develop,” Mubarak said, diplomatically omitting the fact that the wait-and-see approach is official Administration policy.

“In effect, the proponents of this view advocate inaction as a line of policy,” the Egyptian leader said. “I beg to differ. This is almost a defeatist approach based on a series of wrong premises.

“The argument goes that the responsibility for moving the peace process falls squarely and solely on the parties to the conflict,” he said in characterizing the U.S. approach. “The inference here is that the United States can play only a secondary role, and even this secondary role cannot be played independently.”

But, Mubarak argued, “The role of a great country like the United States is not simply to endorse what was agreed upon.”

The Egyptian president also renewed his appeal for the United States to welcome the PLO and its leader, Yasser Arafat, into the peace process. Israel refuses to deal in any way with the PLO, which it considers a terrorist organization. The United States has said it will not talk to PLO representatives until the organization recognizes Israel’s right to exist and accepts U.N. Security Council Resolution 242, which includes implicit recognition of Israel as a sovereign state.

However, Mubarak said the “framework” agreement signed last month by Jordanian King Hussein and Arafat recognized all U.N. Security Council resolutions, including 242, even though that was not spelled out. The Egyptian leader said it is time for Washington to open a dialogue with the PLO.

‘As Good Neighbors’

“On substance, the United States could render the cause of peace a great service by recognizing the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination,” Mubarak said. “Since the only political organization that represents the Palestinian people (a reference to the PLO) has chosen now the peace option, it can no longer be said that the Palestinian self-determination means a threat to Israeli security, but it means having the Israelis and a confederation embodying the Palestinian and Jordanian people live together as good neighbors.

“This goal cannot be achieved under occupation and mutual distrust,” he added.

Mubarak said the Hussein-Arafat accord was the culmination of years of Arab diplomacy and should not be ignored.

“After years of hard work and vigorous efforts, the step we were all waiting for has materialized--an agreement between Jordan and the PLO to seek jointly a peaceful settlement,” he said.

‘Momentum for Peace’

“I have asked our good friend, President Reagan, to invite a joint Jordanian-Palestinian delegation to come to Washington in order to explore the chances for peace,” he said. “Such a dialogue would not only clarify different positions but, most importantly, it will reinforce the momentum for peace.”

A senior Administration official who briefed reporters Tuesday said the Administration is willing to continue to discuss Mubarak’s peace proposals. But he made it clear that the United States is not prepared to meet a Jordanian-Palestinian delegation in advance of an agreement for the delegation to meet directly with Israel.

Israel has said it would welcome negotiations with Jordan and would accept Palestinians as part of the delegation but would not be willing to talk with official PLO representatives.

New Treaty Sought

Israel signed a peace treaty with Egypt in 1979 and now is seeking a similar treaty with some second Arab country. Jordan and the PLO have said they want to obtain Israeli withdrawal from the occupied West Bank of the Jordan River and Gaza Strip territories, where 1.3 million Palestinians and several thousand Jewish settlers live.

In addition to urging a more active U.S. role in the peace process, Mubarak reaffirmed Egypt’s support for its peace treaty with Israel. Supporters of Israel in the United States have complained that Egypt is violating the treaty by refusing to return its ambassador to Tel Aviv.