The West German Government has no intention of establishing diplomatic relations with Israel at this time, fearing “deterioration” of the Middle East situation might result from such a step, A. Hilger van Scherpenberg, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, said here today. He is Foreign Minister Henrich von Brentano’s ranking aide.
Germany, said Mr. van Scherpenberg, is in a “frankly delicate” position in the Middle East now. On the one hand, he said, Germany has had very friendly relations with Middle East peoples for one hundred years, regardless of two world wars. On the other hand, he affirmed, this country “owes a very strong debt of honor” to Israel, and Germany is “ready and willing” to pay that “moral debt.”
Establishment of diplomatic relations with Israel now, however, said the ranking Foreign Office official, might contribute to the “deterioration” of the situation in the Middle East. For that reason, he stated, West Germany “will not take that risk of deterioration” now. Mr. van Scherpenberg at the same time revealed that he had held a conference with the personal emissary of Jordan’s King Hussein, Bahjad Talhouni and said that Germany is now working out plans for offering Jordan “very large-scale” investment help, to aid the Amman Government in developing its economy.
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