Senator John Kennedy, Democratic candidate for President of the United States, made it clear at his press conference here yesterday that he would expect the United Arab Republic to carry out the decision of the United Nations against the existing anti-Israel blockade of the Suez Canal. He said this would help to clear the atmosphere for bringing about an Arab-Israel peace.
Senator Kennedy expressed his view when he was told that there was an “apparent contradiction” between the Democratic platform pledging stronger support to the United Nations and encouragement of Arab-Israel peace negotiations “which are unacceptable, of course, except for compliance with long-standing UN resolutions.”
The Presidential candidate replied: “I don’t think that that’s in any way paradoxical, those two positions. What we would like is that the agreements and the position of the United Nations taken in regard to Suez and other matters, that they would, that those provisions, would be carried out. That’s our desire as a preliminary to having a peaceful solution to the problems which separate the Arabs and the Israelis.
“I think that the platform intends to put emphasis on our desire to have peace in the Middle East. One of the ways with which we can get peace is to have the directives of the United Nations carried out. And then, that having cleared the atmosphere, we hope that it would be possible for them to join. Not only is there a United Nations position on Suez but there’s also of course constant work by the United Nations on resettling the refugees.”
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