The talks between Mrs. Golda Meir, Israel’s Foreign Minister, and Selwyn Lloyd, Britain’s Foreign Secretary, yesterday, were rated by informed sources here today as a definite milestone in the turbulent history of Anglo-Israel relations and at least a partial success for Israel’s diplomacy.
(British Foreign Secretary Selwyn Lloyd, arriving in New York today, said that as a result of his meeting in London yesterday with the Israel Foreign Minister he had “no fear” Israel might attack Jordan.)
The meeting actually began last week when Eliahu Elath, Israel’s Ambassador to Britain, presented Israel’s position in the Middle East crisis to British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan, It was reported that Mrs. Meir had already received an answer from the British Government to the problems presented by Mr. Elath.
It was understood that in addition to a greater understanding of Israel’s needs, Britain seemed prepared to cooperate in obtaining a certain amount of security for Israel’s integrity. Hopes were expressed that, as a response to the Meir-Lloyd talks–the first at so high a level since Israel was established–Britain would contribute in more concrete forms to Israel’s security and might support Israel’s demands for a collective guarantee for the Middle East.
The reported change for the better in Israel-British relations was regarded as partly a result of the severe blow suffered by Britain during the past two months in the Arab world. Despite lingering anti-Israel attitudes in the British Foreign Office, it was reported that the British Cabinet was prepared to consider a completely new phase in relations with Israel.
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