News Brief

At a news conference in which he ranged over a large number of topics, Rogers said Ambassador Gunnar V. Jarring will be back in New York by Jan. 15 to renew his efforts towards working out a full settlement of the Middle East issues in accordance with Security Council Resolution 242. Responding to questions, Secretary Rogers said that the US is “going to make unremitting efforts and hopefully reach a successful conclusion” towards an interim agreement to reopen the Suez Canal.

Discussing his telephone conversations last week with the Israeli and Egyptian Foreign Ministers, Abba Eban and Mahmoud Riad, respectively, while they were in New York. Rogers said that Israel has “indicated its willingness” to enter close proximity talks but that Egypt’s position was uncertain. He observed indications that the Cairo government did not favor this type of approach which would bring the parties into indirect discussions under American auspices. There had been reports that talks would be held in a New York hotel with Assistant Secretary of State Joseph J. Sisco conducting them.

U.S. TO AID IN PEACE EFFORTS

Rogers said that Dr. Jarring said specifically he would resume his efforts under the “principles promulgated” by the four-year-old Security Council resolution. He made no mention of the General Assembly’s resolution of two weeks ago favoring Egypt’s views. Jarring’s activity stalled after Israel objected to his proposal of last Feb. 8 that Israel enter talks with Egypt by agreeing beforehand that it would withdraw from territory it occupied after the 1967 war. “All nations” Rogers said in this connection, “should do what they can under his auspices.” He pledged the US would work “diligently” for the success of the Jarring mission.

The Secretary of State said that he could see why Israel has fears regarding assurances and guarantees by the UN in view of its inability to stop the India-Pakistan fighting. After referring to “disapointment” over the UN when 104 nations support “an idea and it is vetoed by the Soviet Union,” Rogers said that this brought “an opinion that the world community carried little weight.” He stressed, however, that “we cannot lose faith” in the UN.

Rogers noted the subcontinent and Middle East issues insofar as the UN is concerned are not necessarily related. He said that if an agreement is worked out between Israel and its neighbors, signed by the parties and the mechanics fully worked out so that Israel can understand and rely on assurances then the UN “might play a useful role.” The Secretary warned against expectations from President Nixon’s meeting in either Peking or Moscow with regard to the Middle East conflict.