U.N. Conciliation Commission Optimistic on Direct Israel-jordan Peace Talks

Marked optimism with regard to the possibilities of peace between Israel and Jordan was noticeable here today among members of the U.N. Conciliation Commission as a result of detailed reports on the peace talks between the two countries which reached the Commission this morning.

The Arab delegation here met today to hear a report from the representatives of Jordan who arrived from Amman. Both the U.N. Conciliation Commission and the U.N. Trusteeship Council, which are now meeting in Geneva, are prepared to hold up further discussions here on peace and on the future of Jerusalem until the outcome of the peace talks between Israel and Jordan is definitely known.

Roger Garreau, president of the U.N. Trusteeship Council, indicated today that as soon as he feels certain Israel will accept an invitation to participate in the Council’s deliberations on Jerusalem, he will insist that such an invitation be sent to Tel Aviv. In the meantime, he will hold private talks with Aubrey Eban, Israel’s representative at the United Nations who is expected to arrive here during the week.

(Mr. Eban met today with President Weizmann in Rehovot, Israel. Following the meeting, he announced that he will proceed shortly to Geneva to be in contact with the U.N. Trusteeship Council. In the afternoon, Mr. Eban and Foreign Minister Moshe Sharett reported for over two hours to the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Knesset on United Nations activities concerning Israel and on the attitude of the Israel Government toward the Garreau plan.)

EGYPT DOES NOT OBJECT TO JORDAN-ISRAEL PEACE; U.S. CONCERNED OVER GARREAU PLAN

A further significant development here was a statement today that Egypt would raise no objection if Jordan concludes peace with Israel. This statement was made to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency correspondent by Abdel Monaium Mustapha Bey, head of the Egyptian delegation to the Connciliation Commission.

Declaring that he himself had no authority from Cairo to negotiate on behalf of Egypt for a peace treaty with Israel, the Egyptian diplomat said that he considered that the present situation between Israel and Egypt requires no alteration. The first two clauses of the armistice agreement, he pointed out, constitute in effect a non-aggression pact between Israel and Egypt. “Egypt is prepared to abide by that,” he said. “It is too soon to speak of resumption of normal diplomatic and commercial relations between the two countries.”

Meanshile, it was learned here today that the modified plan for the internationalization of Jerusalem proposed by Mr. Garreau has not enjoyed a popular welcome in the Council. While Catholic and Arab opposition to Mr. Garreau’s modifications arise from alleged departures of the Garreau plan from the strict letter of internationalization, Britain and the United States are concerned with the practical difficulties of operating the Garreau scheme.