The National Gallery of Art today cancelled a press preview of an archaeological exhibit sponsored by the People’s Republic of China because the Chinese authorities here refused to allow newsmen from Israel, Taiwan, South Korea and South Africa to attend.
Katherine Warwick, the Gallery press representative, said the preview scheduled for this afternoon was called off “because the Liaison Office of the People’s Republic of China would not agree to the preview unless assurances” could be given that “certain foreign press representatives would not be admitted.” The Gallery, she said, was “unable to give those assurances because to do so would have been contrary to its policy for such occasions.”
State Department spokesman Paul Hare told reporters that the Department and the Gallery had “consulted” on the-preview before it was cancelled and that the Department agreed with the Gallery’s position that it would not abide by the Chinese request. He said, however, that the “primary brunt” of the discussion was between the Gallery and the Chinese authorities. Asked by reporters if similar conditions were imposed by the Chinese authorities on exhibits elsewhere. Hare said he would look into the matter.
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