Former Rep. George Bush of Texas, President Nixon’s nominee for the ambassadorship to the United Nations, expressed support today for some kind of UN peacekeeping force in the Middle East, but added: “I have no set feeling on how it should be constituted.” Bush, a Republican, appeared before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which will vote on his nomination. The hearing lasted only an hour, there were no opposition witnesses, and members of the committee indicated there would be no obstacle to confirmation. While noting that he had reached no “final conclusion” on the nature of a peacekeeping force, the Republican nominee stated that “the UN must come up with better machinery for peacekeeping.” He added that he was “optimistic” about the contributions the UN could make to a Mideast peace and said he thought the Jarring talks looked promising. Bush, who resigned as president of Zapata Off-Shore Co., of Midland, Tex., in 1966 to run for Congress, told the committee that he had “divested myself totally” of any ties to the oil industry. He added that he favored continuing contact with countries not maintaining diplomatic relations with the United States, which would include Egypt. Regarding policy, he declared: “I clearly will follow the orders of the President.” Only eight of the 15 members of the Foreign Relations committee were present.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
