W. Averell Harriman, a former United States Ambassador to Moscow, believes that the Soviet Union “strongly desires a real peace in the Middle East” and is “concerned over the possibility of a United States-Soviet confrontation. The veteran diplomat and former governor of New York expressed those views at a meeting of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America over the week-end which conferred its Eternal Light Modal on him and on Nathan. Appleman of New York. chairman of the board of trustees of the American Jewish Committee. Ambassador Harriman’s remarks were his first in public since he and Sen. Edmund S. Maskie of Maine, talked two weeks ago with Soviet Premier Alexei N. Kosygin in Moscow. Harriman expressed the belief that Kosygin was as much for peace today in the Middle East as he was for an end to the fighting in Vietnam in 1965 because in both instances Russia wants to avoid a confrontation with the U.S. “This time it is the Middle East that is giving the Soviets their major concern,” Harriman said. Despite the Kremlin’s criticism of the U.S. “for giving full support to Israel” and its “tough stand” in support of Egypt, Harriman said, “substantial progress has been made” in recent months in backing away from “earlier positions.” Ambassador Harriman said “One gains the impression that the Soviets have used their influence to induce Egypt to move toward a peaceful solution. No longer does Egypt talks of pushing Israel into the sea, and she appears ready to accept freedom of navigation in the Suez Canal and the Gulf of Aqaba.” Harriman said.
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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.
