The four-day Bagdad Pact council meeting ended with the release of a lengthy communique which failed to make any mention of the Arab-Israel conflict, despite strenuous last minute attempts by the Iraqi delegation.
Early this morning Iraqi Premier Abdul Nawab Mirjan flew in from Bagdad, reportedly to make a final plea for inclusion of a statement on the Palestine issue. His arrival held up release of the communique for several hours while the conferees met in closed session. A public session was delayed and, when it was held later, Iraqi delegate Nuri as-Said said merely that he had already explained his country’s views on Palestine.
The communique did point out that the plight of the Arab refugees was a situation which international Communism was attempting to exploit. Also, it commended the concept of the United Nations Emergency Force, which guards the Israel-Egyptian demarcation lines, for areas of disturbance elsewhere.
Turkish newspapers of all political hues continued today their criticism of attempts to convert the Bagdad Pact into an anti-Israel instrument. Almost universally, the Turkish press saw in this move a dangerous sidetracking of the anti-Communist purpose of the alliance. The pact council consists of Turkey, Iran, Iran, Pakistan and Britain. A United States delegation headed by Secretary of State John Foster Dulles attended with the status of observers.
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