Tass Says Arabs View Scranton Fact-finding Mission with ‘pessimism, Apprehension’

The Soviet Union’s official news agency. Tass, said today that Arab governments viewed the fact-finding mission of former Pennsylvania Gov. William W. Scranton with “pessimism and apprehension.” Interpreters here viewed the Tass commentary as an expression of Soviet doubt about President-elect Richard M. Nixon’s Middle East policy.

Commenting on the current visit of Mr. Scranton to the Middle East on Mr. Nixon’s behalf, Tass said that “connivance with Israeli extremists has become a sad tradition at the White House.” It said that Arab sentiments about the mission were justified because of the sending of “tremendous” arms supplies by the U.S. to Israel which have “made it possible for the Israeli extremists to pursue from a position of strength their policy toward neighboring Arab states.””The Arab public justifiably considers the recent agreement on the delivery of up-to-date Phantom jet fighter-bombers to Tel Aviv as encouragement for the aggression which impedes a political settlement of the crisis in the Middle East,” Tass said.

Observers noted that the Tass commentary did not reiterate warnings delivered Tuesday by the Communist Party newspaper Pravda that Moscow “will administer a resolute rebuff to the intrigues of the aggressors” in the Middle East and “will uphold the interest of our security and the security of our friends.” The Pravda editorial said that Moscow considers the Middle East part of its security zone because it “directly adjoins our southern borders” and that the Kremlin will take all possible steps to prevent a “dangerous flare-up” in the area.