Carter Briefs Shultz--Not Reagan--on Mideast Tour

Former President Carter today briefed Secretary of State George P. Shultz and two other top Reagan Administration officials--but not the President--on his recent five-nation trip to the Middle East.

White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said that the meeting was held at Shultz’s request and that Carter had not asked to meet with President Reagan.

“If President Carter indicates he is interested in a meeting, I am sure we will consider it,” he said.

When asked if Reagan avoided meeting with Carter because of the former President’s criticisms of Administration policy during the trip, the spokesman said: “No, I would say it’s just not an issue. The way it worked out is he was invited to breakfast at the State Department.”

He said the report from Carter was “valuable in a general sense . . . but I just can’t comment on any specific things he had to say. I will leave that to him.”

He said he knew of no message that Carter brought back from any Middle Eastern leader for the President.

Carter was not available for comment after the 90-minute meeting at the State Department. Also attending the session were White House Chief of Staff Howard H. Baker Jr. and the President’s national security adviser, Frank Carlucci.

Carter visited Israel, Egypt, Syria, Jordan and Algeria last month. He expressed optimism about Arab willingness to negotiate with Israel and said the United States should do more to promote the peace process.