Kosygin Virtually Acknowledges That Russian Pilots Are Flying Egyptian Aircraft

An Israeli Foreign Ministry official accused Soviet Premier Alexei N. Kosygin today of falsifying history in order to justify Russia’s direct military intervention on Egypt’s side in the Middle East conflict. The spokesman referred to Mr. Kosygin’s press conference in Moscow earlier today at which the Kremlin leader attacked “Israeli aggression” and came close to confirming Israel’s charge that Russian pilots were flying Egyptian aircraft on missions over Egypt. Premier Kosygin’s statement confirms Soviet involvement in Egypt and the inclusions of Soviet personnel in the Egyptian forces, the Ministry spokesman told newsmen. The pretext given by the Soviet Premier that Soviet crews are in Egypt to ward off what he called Israeli aggression is a continuation of the falsification of history on which the Soviet Union has based its intervention on the side of the Arabs, even before the 1967 war, he said.

The spokesman noted that the same charge was made by the Soviet Premier in his June 1, 1967 speech at the emergency session of the General Assembly. Israel, he said, has never accepted this false accusation and has rejected every draft proposal submitted by the Soviet Union and its allies and the Arabs which sought to turn Israel from a victim of aggression into an aggressor. The renewal of this charge in order to justify the increasing Soviet involvement in Egypt proves that the Soviet Union wishes to continue the conflict in the area and possibly even deepen it but does not seek a settlement by peaceful means, the Israeli spokesman said.

(In the first press conference held by a Soviet head of government in the Soviet Union in 10 years. Premier Kosygin virtually acknowledged yesterday that Soviet pilots are involved in Egyptian air maneuvers. Newsmen asked Mr. Kosygin to “confirm or deny Israeli claims that Soviet pilots are flying operational flights over Egypt.” He replied: “We do have an agreement with the government of the United Arab Republic under which there are Soviet military advisers in the troops of the UAR. They are there for the purposes of aiding the UAR in the struggle against Israeli aggression, an aggression which in turn is massively supported by the United States, which is providing Israel with arms and extending all-out support in creating aggression against that country. The functions of the Soviet military advisers are being coordinated with the government of the UAR.”) (In Geneva, delegates to the arms control talks were reported very much concerned over the Russian-pilot allegations. They were said to fear that the U.S. will now agree to sell Israel more jets, widening the tension in the Middle East and adversely affecting the discussions there and the bilateral Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) in Vienna. One Geneva delegate observed according to reports that despite its continuing pleas for further American military aid, Israel has not allowed itself to become subservient to the U.S.)