Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger sees the Middle East war as testing the principles of Soviet-American detente and has spoken for the first time of “difficulties” with the Soviet government since the Arabs attacked Israel. “This crisis through which we are now living is a test of the possibilities of diplomacy and of the real meaning of detente,” he declared. “It must be clear that while the United States is trying to make our nation safe from war we will not do so at the price of making the rest of the world safe for war.”
His remarks were considered the toughest he has publicly pronounced about the Soviet Union in the current situation. Since the beginning of the hostilities he has repeatedly called for restraint and an end to the fighting through negotiations. But last night, before a military audience of 3100 persons which included some of America’s most distinguished soldiers, he seemed to be warning the Soviet government that the United States will not tolerate warfare elsewhere while seeking security arrangements with Moscow on weaponry and frontiers in Europe.
Dr. Kissinger’s comments came while accepting the George Catlett Marshall Medal from the Association of the United States Army for carrying forward “the legacy of far-seeing patriotism and extraordinary service to America and mankind” exemplified by Gen. Marshall’s role as a soldier and as Secretary of State a quarter of a century ago.
CONSULTING WITH OTHER COUNTRIES
Dr. Kissinger’s remarks came as Soviet Premier Aleksei Kosygin was reported in Cairo consulting with Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and while some top Pentagon officials were reported highly dissatisfied with the U.S. assistance being given to Israel under the Kissinger policy of restraint to give diplomacy its way. The Pentagon sentiment reportedly is for the U.S. to give whatever help Israel needs for victory.
Dr. Kissinger, who spoke extemporaneously, repeated the U.S. objectives in the Middle East last night. “We are now engaged in very serious, very open-minded consultations with many countries, trying to bring about an end to the hostilities in the Middle East,” he told a hushed audience.
“We believe that there exists an opportunity for a decent and just settlement, fair to all of the parties, which must be reached first by bringing about an end to hostilities, and then by a dedicated effort that will end the conditions that produced this current conflict. This is our policy which we will pursue with conviction and which we believe and hope will succeed.”
WHITE HOUSE, STATE DEPARTMENT DIFFER
Meanwhile, the White House and the State Department appeared today to take widely differing views today on the current international discussions in which the U.S. is participating in its search to bring an end to hostilities in the Mideast and pave the way for a negotiated peace.
At the White House, Deputy Press Secretary Gerald Warren said that President Nixon is optimistic about the possibilities of a cease-fire. But at the State Department, an hour later, spokesman Robert J. McCloskey, asked if there was basis for optimism for a break in the situation in next few days, replied: “I cannot say we are in position to see the out come at this time.”
Warren said that Nixon and Dr. Kissinger are in “delicate diplomatic negotiations at this time” and that the Secretary is “in contact with the parties to the conflict and the other powers.” He would not comment on the negotiations except to say that the President agrees with Dr. Kissinger’s statement that “an opportunity exists” for a solution of the Middle East conflict. (By Joseph Polakoff, JTA Washington Bureau Chief.)
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