
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 10, 1991                   TAG: 9104100518
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-4   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE                                LENGTH: Medium

SUPERPOWERS NEED TO LEAD PEACE DRIVE, CARTER SAYS

Former President Jimmy Carter is urging the United States and the Soviet Union to sponsor a international Middle East conference to repair the damage from the Persian Gulf War.

Speaking at the University of Virginia, Carter reiterated his opposition to the war.

"I was not in favor of the war," Carter said. "I thought it was a tragedy that we destroyed Iraq and bombed them back into the pre-industrial age. It was a tragedy that could have been avoided.

"The Iraqis lost. Kuwaitis lost. Israelis, Saudi Arabians and others lost. . . . I only hope that we can finance some rehabilitation for the Kurds and the other 100,000 refugees who don't have any money to reclaim or rebuild their country," he said.

Now that the war has ended, the U.S. and U.S.S.R. should convince the Palestinians and Israel, Jordan, Syria and other Middle East countries to attend lengthy peace talks.

"There are encouraging signs that there could be peace. Since 1987, Israel has developed a good relationship with the U.S.S.R. Israel won't go to conference over which the United Nations is presiding - and I don't blame them," Carter said.

"The superpowers need to be the convening parties for a series of peace negotiations but must not interfere with the other countries' plans," Carter said.

Each country should have an unlimited amount of time to outline issues and build cases before bilateral talks begin, he said.

"Once the Middle Eastern countries reach an agreement, the two superpowers should finance the terms of those agreements," Carter said.

Peace is not an impossibility, Carter said. "I'm not being naive. I've been involved in Middle Eastern peace issues for a long time," he said. "The thing that gives me hope is this: The Israelis want peace. The Palestinians want peace. Syrians, Jordanians - they all want peace."

by CNB