The State Department said today that “there is no agreement” to have American technicians man the electronic warning systems in the Sinai as part of an interim agreement between Israel and Egypt, but Department spokesman Robert Anderson told newsmen “if it turns out this eventually would take place” Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger “would be in closest touch with the Congress.”
Anderson was commenting on reports that Israel had proposed that the U.S. would man the Sinai warning systems if Israeli troops pull back from the Gidi and Mitle passes. Anderson would not comment on the details of the current negotiations for the agreement, but confirmed that the latest Israeli proposals have been submitted to Cairo by American Ambassador Hermann Eilts who returned to Egypt yesterday. He said Eilts had already reported to Kissinger and that there will be continuing negotiations.
The State Department spokesman stressed that if U.S. technicians would eventually be sent to the Sinai they will not be American military personnel. He said he did not know the nature of the technicians that would be sent.
Anderson also told newsmen that the United States is in close consultations with the members of the Security Council and United Nations Secretary General Kurt Waldheim on the extension of the mandate for the United Nations Emergency Force in the Sinai “and we are hopeful that the problem will be resolved.”
HOPES CONGRESS WILL APPROVE ARMS SALE
Anderson expressed the hope that Congress would approve the Administration’s proposal to sell a $360 million air defense system to Jordan. He reiterated the Administration’s position that “by helping them (Jordan) with an air defense system they wished to have we may be able to help them to continue a moderate policy.” He said that “so far as I know there is no joint command between Jordan and Syria.” He said he assumed that “the normal restrictions would apply about transfer to Syria or Egypt” of any of the weapons sold Jordan.
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