Begin Expects Renewed Talks

JERUSALEM--Israel and Egypt are waiting for Washington to bring them together again to negotiate issues blocking a peace treaty, Israeli Prime Minster Menachem Begin said yesterday.

Begin said he, like Egyptian President Anwar Sadar, was ready to sign a peace treaty, but "there are problems." He would not elaborate about the nature of the problems.

"The two countries are ready to negotiate," Begin said. "It is up to the U.S. government to take the initiative to bring the parties together. I hope it will be soon," Begin added.

The United States yesterday asked Egypt for "clarifications" concerning its assessment of the status of negotiations and proposals on how to overcome the deadlock, the official Middle East News Agency said.

Cairo's official Al Ahram newspaper said Sunday Egypt was ready to resume talks in any manner suggested by the United States.