Extraordinary importance is being attached here to the meeting which is to take place tomorrow between Britain’s Foreign Secretary Selwyn Lloyd and Israel’s Foreign Minister Golda Meir. This is the first time that Mrs. Meir is meeting in London with the British Government. The initiative for the meeting came from the British Foreign Minister, who extended an invitation to Mrs. Meir to come here.
Diplomatic circles here were of the opinion today that Mrs. Meir will seek to obtain a clear picture on Britain’s intentions in Jordan, and to insist on a clear reply as to what will happen to the arms stocked by Britain in Jordan in case the British troops leave that country. Political circles here believe the Meir-Lloyd talks would center on answers to the question “What next in Jordan?” The most important part of this question is: Once the British leave Jordan, will there be a partition of that country, and who will profit by partition?
Responsible British circles are moving toward a partition solution as the lesser of the evils. Although they are at present far from prepared to let Israel share in the spoils of Jordanian partition, British circles are eager to know what Israel’s attitude is likely to be when Jordan falls.
Apparently anxious to prevent an outcry from the Arab states, the Foreign Office here tried to conceal the news about Mrs. Meir’s scheduled conference with Mr. Lloyd at the latter’s invitation. Only when the news became public did the Foreign Office grudgingly announce the fact.
BRITISH AND ITALIAN PROGRAMS SEEK TO “FREEZE” ISRAEL’S BORDERS
There are increasing reports to the effect that the British Government has in view some form of international development scheme for the Middle East to be administered by neutrals. This program seems in some way to be similar to that proposed by Italy’s Prime Minister Amintore Fanfani, with whom Mrs. Meir met in Rome Saturday.
The British and Italian programs seem to have in common these three points: 1. An agreement among Middle Eastern countries not to interfere in one another’s internal affairs, coupled with a tacit kind of “freezing” Israel; 2. An agreement between the Western Powers and the Soviet Union not to interfere in the affairs of the Middle East; 3. A joint economic effort by some international organization to assist and develop the Middle East so as to raise the standard of living.
On the last point, the British seem to favor a set-up under the aegis of NATO or of the Baghdad Pact Council, while Mr. Fanfani prefers an enterprise under United Nations framework. Both the British and the Italian programs leave out the issue of an arms embargo as too political and controversial, on the theory that such an issue must be settled by direct negotiations between the West and the East.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
