Hussein-rogers Talks Cover All Bases

State Department officials said today that “literally every aspect of Arab-Israeli differences” were discussed during the visit of King Hussein of Jordan to the State Department this afternoon. Hussein lunched with Secretary of State William P. Rogers at the State Department following his White House meeting with President Nixon and met privately with Rogers for a half hour in his office.

Department officials said it was “reasonable” to assume that nothing new in terms of diplomatic proposals were introduced on either side either at the private meeting or at the broader gathering. They refused to comment on questions relating to Hussein’s position on Jerusalem. They said the Jordanian ruler spoke for himself and brought no messages from other Arab governments.

State Department spokesman Charles Bray described the meeting officially as “cordial and wide-ranging discussions as befit the close relationship between the U.S. and Jordan.” He said the Middle East situation was discussed as well as bilateral relations, and that both Hussein and Rogers reaffirmed their desire to see a peaceful settlement in the Middle East. “Secretary Rogers assured King Hussein of our continued friendship and support for Jordan,” Bray said.

Department sources later cautioned reporters not to regard the meeting as a base on which a clear course for future diplomatic activity can be charted for the immediate future. They pointed out that a number of discussions have been held with Middle East representatives in diplomatic channels and that more will be held in the future. Premier Golda Meir of Israel is due in Washington March 1.