A report that President Nasser of Egypt and King Hussein of Jordan have agreed to the opening of peace talks with Israel on the island of Rhodes next month, with the blessings of most of the other Arab countries in the Middle East, was published by Jon Kimche in the Evening Standard today. According to Mr. Kimche, the plan calls for talks to be arranged by the United Nations, under U.N. chairmanship, and to be held on neutral grounds. It was to be submitted by President Nasser to U.N. envoy Gunnar Jarring, who was scheduled to arrive in Cairo tomorrow.
Mr. Kimche wrote that the plan originated with King Hussein. It presumably calls for a delegation representing all Arab countries except Syria and the North African states, to confront Israel across a peace table during the second week of February, and compel the Israelis to state publicly their terms for peace. Hussein reportedly received the approval of King Faisal of Saudi Arabia, the president of Iraq and the ruler of Kuwait before flying to Cairo last weekend to present the plan to President Nasser. Nasser reportedly assented and agreed to advise Ambassador Jarring, Mr. Kimche wrote.
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