Israel Ambassador Abba Eban today sought clarification from Henry A. Byroade, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, of reports of a pending declaration reaffirming and expanding the Tripartite Declaration of 1950.
The Ambassador after a 90-minute meeting with Mr. Byroade said that this was one of the matters discussed in some detail and that he would communicate his findings to Israel. Asked about reported plans of the State Department to suspend aid to Near Eastern countries found guilty by the United Nations truce supervision organization of major violations, Ambassador Eban said: “It is premature for me to say anything. “
Mr. Byroade was informed by Mr. Eban of Israel’s views on the Mutual Security Act for the coming fiscal year. Mr. Eban talked previously about this matter with Harold E. Stassen, director of the Foreign Operations Administration. Mr. Byroade recommended during testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee that aid to Israel be reduced.
The Israel Ambassador informed Mr. Byroade today that Israel’s basic position is that favorable economic developments in Israel in the past fiscal year, such as they are, are not yet stable enough to justify a decreased level of aid. This thesis was analyzed in detail and Mr. Eban made known that Israel is trying to reach an agreement with the Administration on thinking on this question.
Some political and security problems in the Near East were discussed in the area of Arab-Israel relations, Mr. Eban said. He made known that Israel’s view on American armament of Iraq was again stressed. He was accompanied by Meir Sherman, Economic Minister of the Embassy, and Reuven Shiloah, Minister Plenipotentiary.
The Defense and State Departments are expediting plans to strengthen Iraq militarily and it was learned today that top-ranking Iraqi officers have been invited to the United States. Major General Muhammed Rafiq Arif, Chief of Staff of the Iraqi Army, and Brigadier Abbass Ali Ghalib, commanding general of the 1st Iraqi Division, have accepted invitations, the Department of the Army confirmed today.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
