Turkey wishes to be associated with the United States, Britain and France in any new guarantee against aggression in the Middle East, the New York Times reported today from Ankara.
The newspaper dispatch said that Washington, London and Paris are studying the idea of including Turkey in a strengthened version of the tripartite declaration of May 25,1950 which guaranteed the territorial status quo in the Middle East. They agree that Ankara should take part in new assurances to both the Arabs and Israelis against aggression, the paper said, but are split on the usefulness of such a declaration.
“An important group in the State Department,” the dispatch added, “believes a new pledge should commit the signatories to halt military and economic aid to an aggressor and to use other means, including armed force, to restore the territorial status quo.”
Such a pledge, the dispatch said, “would help to allay Arab fears of Israeli aggression as well as answering Israel’s protests against United States arms aid to Iraq and other Arab states, according to the views of this group.”
Assistant Secretary of State Henry A. Byroade is now discussing the problem with the foreign affairs committees of both Houses of Congress, the dispatch said, seeking Congressional approval before a definitive step is taken.
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