When President Eisenhower and Prime Minister Eden discuss the Middle East situation in Washington next month, it is believed here that they will have before them detailed plans for the establishment of a central fund to aid the economic development of Middle East countries. Official sources here say that there is already agreement between the two countries that more must be done by the West if it is to combat Soviet influence by economic aid than has been the case in the past.
The British Foreign Office is concerned to settle, once and for all, the question of a joint military, political and economic approach to the Middle East. While this has been agreed on in the past, it is said here that public statements by United States officials have tended to dissipate the effectiveness of Anglo-American solidarity on Middle East questions. One major step which is expected here is formal American adherence to the Bagdad pact in the very near future. There is little belief here that this move will be accompanied by any formal extension of a security guarantee to Israel.
Interest in Parliament in the Middle East debate tomorrow is so great that the debate is likely to be extended far into the night. The main points in the Labor attack on the government’s policy will be its refusal to acknowledge the need for Israel arms parity and its refusal to extend to Israel a mutual defense treaty.
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