Eban Due at State Department Today on Eisenhower Doctrine

Israel Ambassador Abba Eban met this week-end with William Rountree, Assistant Secretary of State, and later stated that he discussed certain matters outstanding from the visit of Ambassador James P. Richards to Israel and would resume talks in the Department tomorrow after consultation with his government.

Earlier, Ambassador Richards refused to say if he had entered into a commitment to provide military or economic aid to Israel under the Eisenhower Doctrine. Mr. Richards, who has returned to Washington from a tour of the Middle East as President Eisenhower’s special envoy, said any statement should be made by Israel and that he would not issue such an announcement on any particular country.

Informed sources, meanwhile, revealed that Mr. Richards had promised to send Saudi Arabia a considerable quantity of tanks, artillery pieces, and military jet planes. The commitment was reportedly approved by President Eisenhower as a move to bolster the Jordanian regime of King Hussein by strengthening Hussein’s ally, King Saud.

Assurance was received from U.S. military authorities, Richards said, to provide arms promised under the Eisenhower Doctrine rapidly on a “crash” basis. He said he had no reason to believe any recommendations he made for such aid would be turned down.

State Department sources said, meanwhile, the possibility of a joint Israel-American statement on the Eisenhower Doctrine was not excluded and “under study.”

Richards made known that on his tour he tried to avoid discussion of the Arab-Israel controversy. He said it was “obvious” his mission was to avoid discussion of the Gulf of Akaba, Arab refugees, Jordan River rights, and similar issues. He said, however, that the Eisenhower Doctrine might promote an atmosphere conducive to ultimate settlement of such regional disputes.