The question of American arms grants to Arab League military forces was discussed today, among other topics, in an 80-minute conversation involving Lebanese Ambassador Charles Malik and State Department officials including Deputy Assistant Secretary of State John D. Jernegan.
Mr. Malik made known that the Arab attitude toward Israel was explained in the course of the meeting, which pertained mainly to U.S. defense plans in the Near East.
The matters pursued today will be discussed on a higher level Thursday when Mr. Malik meets with Under Secretary of State Walter Bedell Smith. Subsequently, Ambassador Malik will leave for Lebanon to consult with his government and leaders of the Arab League.
It was understood that today’s meeting had to do with State Department plans to extend to other Arab League states the sort of arms grant arrangement negotiated with Iraq and now under discussion with Egypt.
(The Arab states should seize every opportunity to obtain arms, Lebanese Premier al-Yafi declared in Bagdad. He made the statement at a press conference in the Iraqi capital when he was asked to comment on American military aid to the Arab states.)
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