Reagan Won’t Alter or Give Up Mideast Plan

WASHINGTON — President Reagan vowed today not to revise or abandon the U.S. plan for Mideast peace talks in the face of opposition from Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir.

As they parted after a two-hour White House session, a deadlock was apparent. Shamir registered his “strong reservations” about an international conference demanded by King Hussein of Jordan with U.S. support.

The Israeli leader urged Reagan to modify the U.S. plan. Shamir said he would be willing to hold direct negotiations with Jordan under U.S. and Soviet auspices. Or, Shamir said, “I shall be ready to consider a similar proposal.”

But Reagan, speaking first in the East Room, said “the United States will not slice this initiative apart and not abandon it.” He advised Shamir that there is “a sense of urgency” behind the U.S. initiative to hold the peace conference next month.

‘No Wedge ... Between Us’

Reagan said those parties who do not agree to hold negotiations “need to answer to themselves and their people.” At the same time, he said Shamir had not directly rejected the U.S. proposal, which also calls for negotiations on an overall settlement by December.

Despite their disagreement, Reagan again offered assurances to Israel, and a warning to its enemies, that “no wedge will ever be driven between us.”

The White House meeting came on the third day of Shamir’s four-day visit, marked so far by his opposition to the U.S. plan for negotiations.

It began with another call on Secretary of State George P. Shultz at the State Department by the Israeli prime minister.