Jordan has replied negatively to United Nations Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold’s request for a direct meeting with Israel, as demanded by Israel under the provisions of the armistice agreement, it was stated tonight in United Nations circles.
It was also stated here that the reply was received by the secretariat last week. The reply has not yet been released here.
The Jordan Government replied once before in the negative, suggesting that any problem between Israel and itself could be handled through the UN-chaired Mixed Armistice Commission. Mr. Hammarskjold referred the matter to the Arab Government for a second time and, when an early reply was not forthcoming, indicated publicly that he would not wait too long for it.
Israel called for the meeting under Article XII of the armistice agreement which states that either party to the agreement may call for a direct meeting of both parties to consider changes in the agreement. Israel and the Secretary General have taken the position that a meeting is mandatory under the pact.
It was learned here that Israel delegate Abba Eban met with Soviet delegate Andrei Vishinsky late last week to discuss the Israeli complaint to the Security Council against Egypt’s blockade of Israel-bound goods in the Suez Canal and the Gulf of Eilath. The details of the meeting were not available. During two Security Council sessions last Thursday and Friday the Soviet delegate sided with the Arab states.
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