Secretary of State Dean Rusk dismissed today as “speculation” reports about United States efforts to organize other maritime countries to jointly test the Egyptian blockade of the Gulf of Akaba which is preventing ships from reaching Israel’s port of Eilat with cargo for Israel as well as cutting off passage of Israeli ships through the gulf. He also made clear that the United States did not envisage “unilateral action.”
Mr. Rusk made his statement following a closed door meeting with members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Participating in the meeting were also Vice-President Hubert H. Humphrey and Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. The main theme of the Administration officials appeared to be the need to delay action on the Egyptian-Israeli crisis to provide time to seek a diplomatic solution, according to Senator Eugene McCarty, Minnesota Democrat, who attended the meeting.
“I don’t know of any proposal to test the blockade,” the Senator said. He added that he thought there was a general “consensus” of the top members of the Senate Foreign Relations, Armed Services, and Appropriations committees — with respect to American obligations to uphold Israel’s territorial integrity and advocate free passage in the Gulf of Akaba. “Everyone knows our legal obligations and our moral commitment on this issue are much clearer than in the controversy over Vietnam,” he stated. He voiced a personal view that “the Russians haven’t really over committed themselves to the Arabs as yet.”
Secretary Rusk declined to evaluate the Soviet position. Asked if war could be averted between Israel and the Arabs, Mr. Rusk said: “Don’t make a prophet of me. I can assure you that the United States is doing everything it can to bring that result.” Vice-President Humphrey, commenting on the same Senate committee meeting, said when asked about the American commitment to Israel on the Akaba Gulf, that “we seek to have the world community understand its responsibilities.”
The U.S. Defense Department said today that the USS Intrepid, the air craft carrier that transitted the Suez Canal, was proceeding to Vietnam and will not stop at the Strait of Tiran area. Reports from Cairo said the Intrepid was being escorted by two Egyptian submarines.
(Reports from Cairo today said the Egyptian Government made known that not only will Israeli ships be barred from passage through the Strait of Tiran but all strategic items of cargo carried on ships of other flags, including American, will be confiscated if such cargo is bound for Eilat.)
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