SECRET/NODIS
-19-
The President: How can you be sure they would choose to be part of Jordan in a plebiscite.
King Hussein: We do not claim we represent all of the Palestinians. However, the East Bank and the West Bank came together by popular feeling. We are prepared to accept the results of a plebiscite but the one thing we cannot accept is the PLO being imposed on the West Bank.
The easiest way for us would be to stay out, to leave responsibility for the West Bank to the others. But we will do what we can.
Secretary Kissinger: If you stay out, the PLO will move into the West Bank and the groups in Beirut will try to take it over. The end result will be to raise again the tensions and difficulties in the area and perhaps even to have them move on the East Bank.
Prime Minister Rifai: These organizations cannot really get there. We and the Israelis keep them out. The Israeli occupation will be prolonged and it will then deter momentum toward peace. We are ready and able to play our role, but we must agree on how to move and when.
Secretary Kissinger: These are major questions. Some of the the ideas which we discussed with /the Prime Minister could be made compatible with our objectives. Moving early will be extremely difficult. His Majesty has negotiated directly and he knows that no great progress can be made rapidly. We consider that there will be substantial problems with the staffing and
