Schumann Reported Doubtful over Chances of Interim Settlement Between Egypt, Israel

A highly placed French diplomatic source told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency today that Foreign Minister Maurice Schumann is very doubtful over the chances of achieving an interim settlement between Israel and Egypt and told U.S. Secretary of State Rogers so at their meeting yesterday. Schumann, however, promised that his government would do nothing to hamper American efforts in that direction, the source said. Rogers met with President Georges Pompidou for nearly two hours yesterday. The Middle East situation was believed to have been one of the major subjects of their talk. Rogers conferred with Schumann last night. State Department spokesman Robert J. McCloskey confirmed later that they had discussed the Middle East. Rogers told newsmen that his talks with Pompidou were “useful and constructive.” The Secretary of State is in Paris for a two-day ministerial meeting of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, a coordinating body for western economic and trade policies.