Eban: Too Soon to Despair over Fate of Peace Mission; Would Like to Renew Jarring Effort

Israel’s Foreign Minister, Abba Eban, said today that it was “much too soon to despair” over the fate of the Gunnar V. Jarring peace mission as a result of the death of President Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt. “There is room for appraisal.” he told members of the United Nations Correspondents Association, adding “The outlook is uncertain and unsure … The future is utterly obscure.” Mr. Eban said he hoped to meet again with Dr. Jarring, of whom he said “we have trust in his international judgment.” But, continued Mr. Eban, Israel remains firm in not returning to the peace talks here until Egypt “corrects” its “illicit” missile buildup. Regarding a charge in the General Assembly yesterday by Egyptian Ambassador Mohamed H. El-Zayyat that Israel abrogated the standstill cease-fire first by sending planes across the Suez, Mr. Eban said they were merely reconnaissance planes and that they were no longer still in the air after nine weeks, while the new Egyptian missiles were still emplaced. He called Dr. El-Zayyat’s charge “formalistic and frivolous,” “we would like to renew the Jarring mission,” Mr. Eban asserted. “We believe the ceasefire should be permanent and not a temporary truce.” The Soviet Union and Egypt, he said, “must create the conditions in which the dialogue can be renewed.” Meanwhile, he said, Israel has “the sense of having been duped” into accepting the United States initiative. The Israeli diplomat declined to comment on the impact the death of President Nasser would have on the Mideast situation.