CARTER LAMENTS U.S. ROLE IN MIDDLE EAST

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000101020030-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 28, 2010
• Sequence Number: 30
• Publication Date: September 21, 1982
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/28: CIA-RDP90-00552R000101020030-6
'J1JITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL
21 SEPTy'33R 1982
Carter laments U.S. role in Middle East
Fcr;;cr President Jimmy Carter says the Reagan administration is partly to
b_ac,e for the turmoil in the Middle East.
Carter said Tuesday the United States should play a stronger role in the
!'fiddle East by beco:-ing "a full negotiating partner. "
Carter, who as president negotiated a peace plan between Israeli and Egyptian
leaders, said the Reagan administration was not making "any efforts to
enforce" accords reached during historic discussions at the mountain retreat of
Camp David.
'rcr too long ... our country avoided or ignored its written obligation
unc;Er the Camp David accords to play an equal role as negotiator,'' Carter said.
Ccrrentina on the massacre in Palestinian refugee camps in Beirut, Lebanon,
Carter said he could not believe that Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin
~;culd pern:i t such killings to occur.
"I probably know Begin better than any American,'' said Carter.
Carter said he did not know if the presence of U.S. Marines could have
prevented the deaths.
Carter was in Philadelphia to receive a sculpture for his presidential
:.orary and museum being built in Atlanta. He met with a small group of bankers,
law y_rs and political leaders, including state Democratic Chairman Edward
hezvinsky.
Prim-:. lphia attorney Harry A. Kalish presented Carter with the sculpture, a
cafe r.:ce of "The Signer," by Philadelphia artist Evangelos Frudakis, which
ce_icts Georce Clymer, who signed both the Declaration of Independence and the
Const:t::tior. The 12-Foot original stands in Independence Park.
In ewer to reporters' questions, Carter confirmed that Iranian leaders had
cf=Erac to release the Americans held ostage if the CIA would kill the Shan,
ss forcer presidential aide Hamilton Jordan said in his recently published book.
Of course it was never seriously considered," said Carter.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/28: CIA-RDP90-00552R000101020030-6