A number of issues affecting Israeli relations with various countries — including the United States and West Germany — as well as Arab projects for the diversion of the Jordan River headwaters and Arab military preparedness for possible war with Israel were on the agenda of a meeting in Cairo today in which 12 ministers representing as many Arab countries participate.
The conference includes the heads of government of all the Arab League members except Tunisia, whose President Habib Bourguiba has been at odds with Egypt since the latter called for Arab-Israeli peace talks nearly a year ago. The present parley is preliminary to an Arab summit meeting of kings and presidents scheduled to be held next September in Algiers.
Syria has already introduced a proposal, approved by most of the Arab foreign ministers, to protest to the United States against alleged Israeli “pressure” for American shipment of more arms to Israel. That resolution would also condemn Washington’s recent shipment of Patton tanks to Israel.
West Germany figures largely on the agenda. The Bonn Government, with whom most of the Arab states broke diplomatic relations since Germany gave diplomatic recognition to Israel, has sent a note to the conference, trying to woo the Arabs back. In the note, West Germany reportedly promised that future economic aid to Israel will exclude help for military purposes and will not include extension of reparations to Israel when the old agreement for such reparations expires this month. Israel and West Germany opened economic-aid talks two weeks ago, and these discussions are to continue soon.
Regarding water diversion, the conference will discuss the delays that have occurred in the projects aimed at lowering the level of the Jordan River, which Israel is now tapping for irrigation of the Negev Desert. This item has already been discussed by the conferees in secret, Lebanon demanding financial aid for its share of water diversion work, and other Arab states examining the fact that some of the diversion projects were halted after Israeli military actions on its borders.
Military preparedness against Israel will be discussed in the context of a special report made by Lt. Gen. Ali Amer, the Egyptian commander of the Unified Arab Command. Another report on the war plans against Israel has been submitted to the conference by Ahmad Shukairy, head of the Palestine Liberation Organization, the arm of the Unified Arab Command which is recruiting Arab refugees for war against Israel.
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