An agreement between the United States and Israel that will help Israel become self-sufficient in the production of certain weapons, does not involve nuclear weapons, State Department spokesman Charles Bray said in reply to questions at today’s news briefing. The agreement, entered into last fall but made public only last week, calls for a limited transfer of American technological data and production know-how that will enable Israel to produce for itself certain US designed defense material. Asked If It Included nuclear technology, Bray said, “That is out of the question.” He had no comment on Egyptian criticism of the US arrangement with Israel.
SCHEUER EXPULSION PROTEST TO WAIT
Bray disclosed that the State Department has not made any written protest to Soviet authorities over the expulsion from Russia last week of Rep, James H. Scheuer (D.,N.Y.) who was Accused of encouraging Soviet Jews to go to Israel. He said the State Department would seek an opportunity to discuss the incident with Scheuer when he returns to the US and might consider further steps after talking to other Congressmen who accompanied Scheuer on a study tour of Soviet educational institutions.
One of them. Earl F. Landgrebe (R., Ind.), a Lutheran whose son is a minister, was accused by Soviet authorities of passing out Biblical tracts in the Russian language to Soviet citizens. But he was not expelled from the USSR.
U.S. ISRAEL SIGN $54M CREDIT PACT
The Jewish Telegraphic Agency learned details today of a $54.4 million credit agreement signed last week under which Israel will purchase American agricultural commodities. The amount is double that of a similar agreement in 1967 when Israel was granted credit of $27.6 million for agricultural purchases here. The credit grant is for 20 years at an Interest rate of two percent for the first two years and three percent annually thereafter. The commodities Involved are feed grain, wheat, edible oils and tobacco.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.