Dr. Eugen Gerstenmaier, president of the Bundestag, West Germany’s lower house of Parliament, is going within a few days to Cairo for a “pacifying mission,” and will deliver a personal invitation to Egypt’s President Gamal Abdel Nasser from German President Heinrich Luebke to visit this country, it was learned here today.
Dr. Gerstenmaier, one of the most influential leaders of the dominant Christian Democratic Party, will reportedly try to “explain” to Nasser the German Government’s attitude toward Israel. At the same time, he will try to persuade the Egyptian leader that he should not extend recognition to Communist East Germany, promising him increased German economic and technical assistance if he refrains from recognizing East Germany. Nasser and other Arab leaders have repeatedly threatened to recognize Fast Germany if the Bonn regime should expand its ties with Israel.
According to unofficial information here today, Nasser is expected to visit West Germany next summer, after Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II pays her scheduled June visit to Cairo.
Meanwhile, it was announced today that Jordan’s young King Hussein and his wife will arrive here November 25 for a two day, official visit. During the visit, the Jordanian monarch is expected to meet with President Luebke, Chancellor Ludwig Erhard and foreign Minister Gerhard Schroeder. An irony was seen here in the agenda prepared for King Hussein’s visit, when it was noted that he would lay a wreath on the Memorial to the Dead. Jewish organizations and representatives of other victims of Nazism also lay wreaths at the base of this monument every year.
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