Arms shipments are necessary for the “stability of the governments” of Arab states so “that they are capable of maintaining law and order,” Secretary of State Dean Acheson told Sen. Alexander Wiley of Wisconsin in a letter today.
Sen. Wiley had written Mr. Acheson, asking that the Department not support the recommendations of acting Palestine mediator Ralph J. Bunche that the arms ban be lifted. The Secretary of State said in the letter that United Nations delegate Warren Austin set forth “the expressed position of this government” before the Security Council.
Mr. Acheson today defined the reasons for the American position, stating: “It is clearly essential to peace in the area and it is of concern to the United States that the stability of the governments in the area is assured, and that they are capable of maintaining law and order. Accordingly, some shipments of strictly limited quantities of arms may be necessary.” He cited the promises of cooperation in a “moral embargo” on the part of the United States.
“The decision to support Mr. Bunche’s resolution was made only after consideration of all the aspects of the problem,” he said. “The Department has, of course, long been aware of the arguments which you so ably set forth for retaining the arms embargo. Balanced against them, however, were considerations which the Department believes properly prevail,” the letter emphasized.
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