The Saudi Arabian Government has modified a decree barring importers from doing business with Jewish firms to remove the discrimination against American firms owned by Jews, the State Department disclosed today, following intervention by the United States here and in Saudi Arabia.
In a letter to Sen. Herbert H. Lehman who had called the Department’s attention to the Saudi Arabian Government’s discriminatory tactics and interference with free trade, Assistant Secretary of State Jack McFall said today that action had been taken “regarding Saudi Arabian trade discrimination against Jewish firms in the United States.” He said that “as you know, this action and its possible repercussions in this country were matters of real concern to this Department.”
Mr. McFall revealed that “several frank but friendly discussions were held with the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Washington and by our ambassador in Saudi Arabia with appropriate high authorities there. I am now happy to be able to report to you that these efforts have been successful and the broad restrictive Saudi Arabian decree has been superseded as of April 4,1952.”
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