Secretary of State John Foster Dulles suggested to a press conference today that King Saud of Saudi Arabia might have been influenced against lifting anti-Jewish restrictions at the Dhahran Airbase partly because he felt he had been discriminated against by New York City during his visit to the United States.
Secretary Dulles said the question of barring U.S. Air Force personnel of Jewish faith from the leased air base in Saudi Arabia was brought up with the King in Washington. But, Mr. Dulles stated, his attitude was not found receptive. Perhaps this was partly because he felt he had not been given non-discriminatory treatment himself in the City of New York, Secretary Dulles added.
Mr. Dulles made these remarks in reply to a question arising from New York Republican Senator Jacob K. Javits’ criticism of the State Department’s acceptance of anti-Jewish discriminatory requirements demanded by Saudi Arabia. The Secretary said that arrangements on Dhahran were originally made to cover 10 years, subject to a renewal option at the end of five years on the same terms as originally agreed upon. The recent deal covered a five-year renewal of this original lease, he said.
Secretary Dulles said the United States did not yet know to what extent Egyptian President Nasser would accept America’s views on operation of the Suez Canal. He could not answer a question on whether Col. Nasser would accept the six principles on canal operation adopted by the United Nations Security Council last October. Asked what this country might do if Nasser rejected these principles, Mr. Dulles said he preferred not to engage in speculation.
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