Carter to visit Mideast as a private scholar

Former President Jimmy Carter plans to dive back into the thick of Mideast politics, this time as a scholar. He begins today three weeks of visits with top officials in Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Saudia Arabia, and Syria, meeting also with scholars there. His aim, reports Monitor correspondent Robert M. Press, is to seek their ideas on peace and prepare for a meeting this fall, probably here. Mr. Carter told an audience here he planned to bring together representatives of these countries as well as of Lebanon - and the Palestinians.