Nixon Confers with Jewish Leaders on Middle East, Poland, Algeria

A group of American Jewish Committee leaders conferred today with Vice President Richard M. Nixon in a 30-minute conference dealing with human rights problems, crisis areas including the Middle East, the problems of persecuted Jews in Poland and the status of Algerian Jews.

Following the conference, Mr. Irving M. Engel, president of the AJC, said that the main purpose of the meeting was to exchange views,especially on human rights problems throughout the world.

The AJC president said this phase of the discussion stemmed from the organization’s recent 15, 000-mile survey and consultative mission to Europe, the Vatican, North Africa and the Middle East. The situation of Jews and other minority groups, as well as the problem of opening havens to victims of political and religious persecution, came under review, Mr. Engel said.

The Vice President emphasized his strong interest in the United States foreign aid program for troubled world areas and expressed his conviction that long-range programs of economic aid were essential to a successful United States foreign policy, Mr. Engel said. He reported that in answer to a query, Mr. Nixon said one of the profound causes of the chromic difficulties in the Middle East was its economic destitution and that a liberal and realistic American foreign aid policy in that area was imperative.

The Vice President added that such a policy would help materially to stave off Communist infiltration in the Middle East and provide a sound basis for a lasting peace. The Vice President expressed strong interest in the plight of the persecuted Jews in Poland, and also indicated he was concerned with the status and condition of Jews in Algeria, Mr. Engel stated.