Forty Years Ago: September 18, 1978

West Asia Talks

US President Jimmy Carter and Prime Minister Menachem Begin of Israel concluded a four-and-half-hour meeting as the West Asia summit meeting moved toward a close. The outcome of the nearly two weeks of talks remained a mystery as Carter attempted to bring Begin and the Egyptian president, Anwar Sadat, together on issues that would keep the peace process alive. Carter met Sadat in Aspen lodge, the US president’s headquarters for two-and-half hours. Carter then met Begin. Sources close to all the three delegations reported privately that the US president was conducting intensive and potentially meaningful discussions.

Atal In Soviet Union

External Affairs Minister A B Vajpayee was given a warm welcome when he arrived in the capital of Uzbekistan on the last leg of his eight-day official visit to the Soviet Union. Vajpayee was received at the airport by the Uzbekistan Deputy Prime Minister M T Tursunov, and the chairman of the city council, Kazimov Waheed. Vajpayee had a round of talks with Tursunov on bilateral economic matters and the two sides underlined the bonds of friendship that existed between the people of Uzbekistan and India.