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Secretary of State is Optimistic on Possibility of Peace Between Israel and Arab States

February 10, 1949
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Secretary of State Dean Acheson today told a press conference here that he was hopeful that peace would be established between Israel and the Arab states. He emphasized that he was considerably more hopeful now than he had been before the week-end.

Over the week-end, he said, he had seen both the Egyptian and Israeli ambassadors and that, as a result of these talks, he felt much better about the situation at Rhodes.

Reporters noted that Acheson referred to Eliahu Epstein, who has been Israeli special representative to the United States, as the Israeli Ambassador even though no official announcement has been made concerning a change of status between American and Israeli representatives to each country.

The State Department told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency today that Israeli Minister of Finance ELiezer Kaplan is expected to call at the Department tomorrow and will enter into discussions with. Department officers on various financial matters, including currency and exchange issues. It is hoped that the discussions will lead to establishment of exchange rates between the two nations.

MIDDLE EASTERN COUNTRIES MAY EVENTUALLY RECEIVE U.S. AID FOR DEVELOPMENT WORK

Roving E.R.P. Ambassador Averill Hzrriman told the House Foreign Affairs Committee today that he hoped the Middle East would eventually receive some form of help in development work. He made the comment in response to a question by committee member Jacob K. Javits of New York, as to whether he could foresee the extension of the European Recovery Program to the Middle East.

Harriman replied that the situation in Europe is entirely different from that in the Middle East. In Europe, he said, there is the problem of recovery, in the Middle East, one of development. But, he added the hope that eventually the Middle East could be helped. He did not elaborate on his comment. The committee is considering legislation to extend the E.R.P.

Sen. Virgil Chapman of Kentucky said today he will oppose Senate confirmation of Mark Ethridge, recently-appointed U.S. member of the United Nations Conciliation Commission for Palestine. The nomination of Ethridge is now in the hands of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which last week delayed action on it.

Although Sen. Chapman did not explain his reasons for opposing Etfaridge’s organization, it is known that the Louisville Courier-Journal, of which Ethrdige is publisher, opposed Sen. Chapman’s candidacy in the elections last November. Ethridge is now in Jerusalem with the other members of the Conciliation Commission.

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