The visit of Israel Agriculture Minister Pinhas Lavon to Washington for discussions on a wheat agreement has been successful, Israel’s Ambassador to the United States, Abba Eban, disclosed here today.
Although there was no revelation of the specific content of the Washington talks, Mr. Eban told a press conference at the Israel consulate here that Mr. Lavon had come to Washington to insure Israel of interim supplies of wheat while the Ambassador himself continued discussions for a long-term agreement and that this effort had met a favorable response.
Meanwhile, he revealed, Israel continued to impress on Washington the urgent need of the Jewish state for stockpiling food and raw materials since the nation was surrounded by hostile neighbors and depended on an overseas lifeline for its supplies. Following conversations initiated by Foreign Minister Moshe Sharett with the United States Secretaries of State and Defense and with Presidential adviser. W. Averell Harriman, Mr. Eban said he was discussing with Secretary of Agriculture Brannan a scheme for the long-range supply of American wheat to Israel on favorable credit terms.
The Israel Ambassador emphasized that Israel was not interested in a grant, as in the case of India, but wanted to pay for all supplies it got here. He said he also had discussions with Secretary of the Interior Chapman on the question of fuel supplies and with Secretary of Commerce Sawyer on the critical nature of the supply problem for Israel in general.
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