A statement by Secretary of State William P. Rogers yesterday that the United States would “very soon” be “very active” in trying to bring about Egyptian-Israeli negotiations to reopen the Suez Canal and a “commitment to full implementation” of the UN Security Council’s Resolution 242, was toned down by the State Department today.
Asked to elaborate on the Secretary’s views stated on the nationally televised NBC “Meet the Press” program, State Department spokesman Charles Bray said that “It simply was an expression of intention.” Bray added that “We have been active diplomatically on this problem in the past” and that “we anticipate being diplomatically active in the future.”
When a reporter noted a “lull” in Middle East diplomatic activities, Bray said the lull was “more apparent than real.” He noted that Rogers had “a thorough round of discussions” with Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohammed el-Zayyat and Israeli Foreign Minister Abba Eban in New York when he was there for the General Assembly sessions in Sept. and that he also had additional talks with Eban in Washington, Furthermore, Bray said, debate on the Middle East will ensue in the General Assembly later this month.
PARTIAL WITHDRAWAL, IMPLEMENT RESOLUTION 242
Bray said Rogers would meet with the Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Dayan here Nov. 14. Dayan is coming to the US soon after the elections as a guest of the United Jewish Appeal and the Israel Bond Organization. He is also scheduled to meet with top Pentagon officials but not with the President.
Rogers, on “Meet the Press” yesterday omitted the Middle East in listing initiatives to be undertaken by President Nixon during his assumed four additional years in the White House. When asked what “you intend to do about it,” Rogers replied, “We are doing what we can diplomatically to see if we can get negotiations started between Egypt and Israel and very soon now we will be very active in discussions of that kind to see if we can get negotiations started.”
He said “We think that the Security Council Resolution 242 has to be implemented fully. But we think that a good beginning is to attempt to work out an agreement between Egypt and Israel that would open the Suez Canal, have a partial withdrawal and have a commitment to full implementation of Security Council Resolution 242.”
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