State Dept. Against ‘coercive Tactics’ to Force Arabs to Abandon Boycott

The State Department today reiterated its stand against “coercive tactics” to secure Arab compliance with the anti-discrimination clause of the Mutual Security Act. In a communication to Rep. Seymour Halpern, N. Y. Republican, the State Department criticized the resolution adopted by the New York State legislature calling for American action against Arab blacklisting of U.S. ships carrying cargo to Israel.

While recognizing that the “general purport” of this resolution was “wholly consistent with U.S. Government attitudes,” the State Department pointed out that “certain promises therein are not wholly accurate.” The communication to Rep. Halpern was signed by Brooks Hays, Assistant Secretary of State for Congressional relations.

Mr. Hays said it remained the view of the State Department that efforts to tie U.S. aid to requirements that Arabs lift discriminatory policies would intensify restrictions and “play into the hands of the Soviet bloc by exacerbating Middle East tensions.” According to Mr. Hays, the State Department is convinced “that avoidance of coercive tactics is more likely to produce an atmosphere conducive to a settlement of the fundamental Arab-Israel tensions than would unilateral economic pressure from the United States.”

(A report from Washington to the New York Herald-Tribune today said: “The United States is cautiously wooing the United Arab Republic in surplus food negotiations as that Middle East country seems to be slipping its ties with the Kremlin. The possibility of a closer accommodation with UAR President Gamal Abdel Nasser arises out of current strained relations between the UAR and the Soviet Union. American officials are watching closely as the Caizo-Moscow rift widens.”)