King Hussein, of Jordan, said today that he was giving “serious consideration” to accepting Soviet arms in order to make up Jordan’s “deficiency” in military strength. The Hashemite monarch was interviewed at the Royal Palace in Amman by ABC newsmen Peter Jennings and Barrie Dunsmore. The interview was broadcast on the network television program. “Issues and Answers.” Referring to the military imbalance between Jordan and Israel, King Hussein noted that Israel’s new budget provides $964.8 million for new military equipment while Jordan’s allocates only $240 million for the same purpose. “We are trying to make ends meet as best we can.” he said.
King Hussein Insisted that he was “master in his own house” when questioned about the control Palestinian guerrilla groups are said to have over Jordanian policy. “If I were not master in my own house I would not choose to remain in it any further,” he told the newsmen. He apologized for the anti-American riots in Amman two weeks ago which aborted a scheduled visit by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Joseph J. Sisco. But the King maintained that Mr. Sisco should have come anyway and would have been protected. By not coming “he can’t possibly have a clear picture,” Hussein said, In reply to another question, he said a separate Palestinian state “could be created in the indefinite future, but Jordan cannot give up its occupied territories.” King Hussein predicted “extreme Arab reaction” only to “a more extreme Israeli action.” He said it was “ironic” that “the victims of Nazi Germany should now be attacking others” and observed that a change of government in Israel might be helpful toward peace.
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.
