Mcnamara Reports Situation in Middle East ‘deteriorated’ Last Year

Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara has reported to the Senate Armed Services Committee that the Middle East “stands high on the Soviet scale of politico-military priorities” and that the situation there has deteriorated in the past year.

He added that “while the overall situation in the Middle East has deteriorated during the past year, there have also been some encouraging developments.” He cited as examples “the United Nations efforts to resolve the Arab-Israeli dispute and the withdrawal of Egyptian troops from Yemen” in addition to the easing of Greek-Turkish tensions and achievement of economic progress in Iran.

The Defense Secretary characterized increased Soviet naval activity in the Mediterranean as primarily “a diplomatic gesture aimed at recouping political losses suffered as a result of Moscow’s inability to forestall Israel’s victory over the Arabs in June, 1967.” He contended that the Soviets “probably do not plan formally to acquire permanent bases in the Mediterranean and the Arab world. Indeed, we believe that these countries which have potentially useful facilities –primarily the United Arab Republic, Syria, Yemen and Algeria–would probably resist granting full base rights on political grounds.”

Noting the Soviet re-supply of the Arabs with arms following the Six-Day War. Mr. Mc Namara said that Russian military aid shipments now appeared to have fallen off to pre-war levels. But he added that “the Soviet Union’s partisan political position on Middle Eastern questions, its increased naval presence in the Mediterranean, its intervention in the conflict in Yemen and its efforts to reduce or supplant Western influence, generally, have contributed to instability in the region.”

‘LIMITED ARMS SHIPMENTS’ TO MIDEAST IS U.S. RESPONSE TO SOVIET PENETRATION

Because of this situation, he added, the United States relaxed its arms freeze and resumed “selected and limited arms shipments” to friendly nations in the Middle East. He pointed out that “virtually all of the items supplied were ordered prior to the (June) war and, except for a limited number of aircraft provided to Israel, were support items.”

He said that “Soviet naval craft in the Mediterranean, including guided-missile cruisers, a number of submarines, lesser warships, and support units which could provide for year-round operations, have effectively shown the flag. Although modest in size and punch compared with the U.S. Sixth Fleet, the Soviet fleet provides the type of visibility which Moscow has elected to seek. It has similarly signaled that the future Soviet posture will include marine amphibious forces and helicopter carriers. How all these activities will affect their future behavior is a matter to which we will give close attention.”

Mr. McNamara told the senate that “the recent increase in Soviet resources, diplomacy and propaganda directed to the Middle East underscores the importance that Moscow attaches to this strategically significant area at the crossroads of Asia, Africa and Europe. In recent years, the Soviet Union has sent a considerable portion of its total economic and military aid to the region, and the Middle East accounts for a large percentage of all foreign technicians being trained in the Soviet Union.”

He stressed that although Israel managed to defeat the Arabs in June, “a host of urgent problems remain to be solved.” “Apart from preventing a renewal of hostilities, among the more immediate problems is the plight of the many thousands of refugees who constitute a second generation of uprooted and homeless Arabs and who face a bleak and uncertain future. Most urgent, however, is the need to follow up the existing cease-fire with positive steps leading to a lasting settlement”, Mr. McNamara said.

“At issue”, he said, “are a host of familiar problems: Arab recognition of Israel’s right to exist; the territorial integrity of the Middle East countries; the status of occupied lands; the right of innocent passage in international waterways; and safeguards against the outbreak of future wars.” To achieve peace, he said the United States is supporting United Nations efforts and “we are continuing our efforts to limit arms deliveries to the area.”