Peres at U.N.: Don’t Miss Ark of Peace

Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres appealed Tuesday to the five major powers and Israel’s neighbors to press for a Middle East peace settlement or “miss the ark of hope.”

Peres, in an address to the U.N. General Assembly, warned that conflicts in the Persian Gulf and in Lebanon could worsen and destroy the fragile “coalition for peace” built in recent years.

“During this brief period we may begin negotiations on one of the most important issues of our day, or miss the ark of hope,” he said. “Confidence that was built carefully, almost tacitly, among several parties in the area, may evaporate. A coalition for peace, held together by fragile links, may fall apart with uncertain likelihood of revival.”

Praises Hussein, Mubarak

He praised the continued support for negotiations by King Hussein of Jordan and President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, and he reported an “unannounced change” among Palestinians living under Israeli rule on the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip, saying that many of them now seek dialogue rather than violence.

Peres addressed his urgent entreaty to the five permanent members of the Security Council--the United States, the Soviet Union, Britain, France and China--to assist Israel and its neighbors in launching an international conference to open the door for direct talks among the region’s countries.

He conceded that division remains between his Labor Alignment and the Likud Bloc of Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir over the format for a conference, but Peres pointed out that the Cabinet has yet to decide the issue.

“We call upon the Soviet Union to credit us with the same good faith in our efforts for peace as we credit it in its readiness to make glasnost (openness) a way of life.

“We call upon the People’s Republic of China . . . not to be timid or one-sided in its support for free negotiation,” Peres said in a special appeal to the Soviet Union and China.

Neither China nor the Soviet Union has diplomatic ties with Israel.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Esmat Abdel Meguid, speaking before Peres, warmly backed an international peace conference as “the possible and acceptable formula.” He said it should be under U.N. auspices and should include the Palestine Liberation Organization in a joint Jordanian-Palestinian delegation as well as the five permanent members of the Security Council.

Although Meguid stayed for Peres’ speech, most Arab delegates left the assembly hall. However, African delegates, who in past years joined the walkout, did not do so this year, reflecting Israel’s recent decision to join the international embargo on the sale of weapons and strategic materials to white-ruled South Africa.

State Department spokesman Charles Redman, meanwhile, disclosed that the Administration will try again to sell a dozen F-15 fighters, worth as much as $500 million, to Saudi Arabia to replace Saudi air force fighters lost to accidents “or other causes.”

Anti-Tank Missiles Included

The Administration also has resurrected plans to include Maverick anti-tank missiles but reduced the number from 1,600 to 300, worth $70 million. A bid to sell 1,600 Mavericks was withdrawn last June in the face of congressional opposition.

The package also includes F-15 electronic warfare gear, 150 upgrade kits for M-60 tanks worth nearly $100 million and an initial order of Bradley armored troop carriers, the sources said.

“It is unfortunate that sales are being opposed by some when Saudi forces are assisting U.S. forces in the gulf,” Redman said, referring to Saudi-owned AWACS planes, which are being used to monitor the Persian Gulf. “We urge all senators to keep open minds.”

A group of senators has already signed a letter warning that they will oppose renewed sales efforts.