The talks opened in Israel by special envoy W. Averell Harriman with Israeli leaders will be continued through normal diplomatic channels, a State Department spokesman said today. He declined to comment on the issue of American supply of arms to Israel.
State Department spokesman Robert McCloskey confirmed that U.S. negotiations with Jordan were under way to supply that country with arms, but said that discussions were still “classified.” They will remain classified until “we are in a position to make announcements,” he declared.
The Department spokesman cited last week’s statement by Secretary of State Dean Rusk as the prevailing American policy on Israel’s arms supply situation. Mr. Rusk then said the United States favored a regional balance of power but felt the United States should avoid direct involvement, and that Israel’s arms should come from its past sources in Western Europe.
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