A leader of the British Labor Party advised Israel today to “take Egypt seriously” and test “as far and fully as you can” Egypt’s desire for a true peace settlement. That advice was offered by James Callaghan, the Labor Party’s foreign affairs spokesman, who came here yesterday as a guest of Israel’s Labor Party after a visit to Cairo where he met President Anwar Sadat.
Callaghan, who would become Foreign Secretary if a Labor government won office in Britain, said his talks with Sadat convinced him of Egypt’s desire to move away from war. “It is my judgement that Egypt is concerned about its own internal future and its rapidly growing population. The reopening of the (Suez) Canal and the rebuilding of the cities are definitely a positive contribution,” Callaghan told reporters at a press conference at his Tel Aviv hotel.
The British leader met privately with Premier Golda Meir yesterday but refused to say whether he had brought her a message from President Sadat. “I must be the first person since Dr. Kissinger to have seen and talked to President Sadat and Premier Golda Meir within 24 hours,” Callaghan said.
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