Jordan Offers ‘Last Chance’ Mideast Plan

Jordan’s King Hussein, apparently taking the Reagan Administration by surprise, offered today to negotiate with Israel in setting up a “last chance” international conference involving the Soviet Union to seek peace in the Middle East.

President Reagan reserved judgment on the proposal, telling reporters after meeting with Hussein at the White House, “We have not resolved some of the differences. We are still discussing this whole matter.”

But Reagan, winding up the impromptu news conference as a light rain fell on the South Lawn, agreed with Hussein that “the conditions have never been more right than they are now to pursue peace.”

Claims PLO Approval

Hussein said he had the full approval of the Palestine Liberation Organization in proposing that a joint Palestinian-Jordanian delegation negotiate with Israel on the basis of U.N. Security Council resolution 242.

The resolution, adopted after the 1967 Middle East war, and again after the Yom Kippur conflict of 1973, assures Israel the right to exist within secure boundaries. The Palestinians are referred to only as “refugees” without any mention of statehood aspirations.

Hussein’s statement appeared to have taken the Administration by surprise. U.S. officials had said they expected nothing dramatic to occur during his weeklong visit.

Soviet Role Resisted

The United States traditionally has not favored international conferences on the Middle East, although one was held briefly in Geneva after the 1973 Camp David, Md., accords. One reason is that such sessions would involve the Soviet Union in Mideast diplomacy.

In addition, the Reagan Administration has particularly sought to keep the United States in the background, preferring that the Arabs find their own way to negotiate with Israel. Both Hussein and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, however, have urged a more active U.S. role. They also have called for an international conference.

Hussein said “it is our hope that an international conference would enable the parties to negotiate the establishment of a just and durable peace.”

Seven Delegations

He said the five permanent members of the Security Council --the United States, the Soviet Union, China, Britain and France --would attend, along with Israel and a mixed Palestinian-Jordanian group.

Asked for his comments, Reagan said, “This is under discussion and we have not resolved some differences that we have in views on this, but we are going to certainly continue in these discussions.”