U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Joseph J. Sisco, emerged from a two and a half hour meeting with Foreign Minister Abba Eban at noon today and told newsmen, “We had a thorough, extensive talk on the Middle East problem.” The American diplomat met in the afternoon with Defense Minister Moshe Dayan and will meet with Premier Golda Meir and Deputy Premier Yigal Allon tomorrow. The Sisco-Eban meeting was described as a “working session.” Mr. Sisco would say nothing beyond his brief remark. A Foreign Ministry spokesman said their discussion dealt with the general Middle East situation, Big Four Mideast policies and Israel-American relations. The Israeli Foreign Minister was said to have stressed America’s stake in a strong Israel. He reportedly referred to the danger of the “Sovietization” of the Middle East and emphasized that a strong Israel would prevent the pro-Western regime in Jordan from falling prey to pro-Moscow Arabs or Soviet-oriented guerrillas. Mr. Sisco arrived in Israel yesterday after a four day visit to Egypt. He will go to Amman Jordan tomorrow and later to Beirut, Lebanon.
(Meanwhile, there were indications that Mr. Sisco’s trip to Amman was under a cloud as a result of demonstrations today in the Jordanian capital. Jordanian demonstrators said to be Palestinians objecting to Mr. Sisco’s pending visit to this country, invaded the United States Embassy in Amman, damaging four automobiles and breaking windows, it was reported in Washington. They also ransacked and set fire to the U.S. Information Service Cultural Center. There were no American injuries, and the situation subsequently became “relatively quiet.” Both U.S. and Jordanian officials expressed regret at the incidents. State Department spokesman Robert J. McCloskey said here that he did not know whether the incidents would cause a change of plans on the part of Mr. Sisco. Mr. McCloskey said he did not know when Mr. Sisco was due in Amman or whether he had set a meeting with King Hussein.)
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