Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold is seriously considering the possibility of visiting the Middle East later this month. If the trip materializes, he hinted strongly today, he would visit Iraq, possibly Saudi Arabia, and some of the other countries of the region.
The announcement of this tentative plan here was made in answer to a question at a press conference. Mr. Hammarskjold was asked about the truth or falsity of a report–which was considered highly reliable–that he would send Dr. Francisco Urrutia of Colombia as a personal political representative to look into the situation regarding the new Arab federations. He was also asked whether, If he did not send Dr. Urrutia, he was contemplating going himself.
Mr. Hammarskjold replied: “The denial about a plan to send Ambassador Urrutia was quite correct. That report was pure invention. As to sending someone else, nothing can be said about that today. As to myself, if I get away next week there may be time between my visit to Moscow and my visit to London, and I have looked into the possibility of visiting the Middle East. It is not a specific mission, if it comes about.
“As you know, I have been in the Middle East many times, but because of the situation, because nothing called for my visit, I left certain countries off my travel map. it might be a good idea, therefore, to look into the situation in the region–it might be helpful to fill out the picture in that region. If my trip there comes about, however, it will have no political significance.”
Mr. Hammarskjold is scheduled to be in Moscow March 16, and in London on March 31. Thus he will have at least a week between his visits to the Soviet and British capitals. When he referred to countries in the Middle East he has never visited before, It was ascertained that he had never been in Iraq, Saudi Arabia or Yemen.
SAYS TRANSFER OF HADASSAH EQUIPMENT FROM MT. SCOPUS HIT SNAG
Mr. Hammarskjold was also asked to comment on the fact that Israel has not yet received any of the Hebrew University books or Hadassah Hospital surgical equipment from its enclave atop Mt. Scopus. Jordan agreed two months ago, when Dr. Urrutia was in the region to settle the Israel-Jordan dispute over Mt. Scopus, to allow Israel to retrieve the books and equipment.
Mr. Hammarskjold replied: “These transports from Mt. Scopus were to have been part of the first stage and an integral part of the plan worked out by Ambassador Urrutia. However, we have run into some difficulties and therefore this first stage has not yet started. “
In answer to another question, the Secretary General said that the Secretariat’s studies regarding the legal and political aspects of the two Arab mergers have been completed. But, he added, he cannot go further into the questions involved pending formal adoption of the constitutions and other formal steps by the merged Arab states.
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