The address last week by U. Alexis Johnson, Deputy Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, in Washington was not directed against the Arab states, the U.S. Embassy in Beirut has stated, according to Beirut dispatches received here today.
In his address, Mr. Johnson had said that part of the American policy in the Middle East seeks to “insure the security and integrity of the individual states in the area–including Israel.” The Arab press has reacted to this statement with anger, holding that Mr. Johnson’s statement was an answer to the Arab summit conference held earlier this month at Cairo.
The U.S. Embassy at Beirut has issued a statement saying Mr. Johnson’s remarks merely reiterated Washington’s opposition to aggression, contain nothing new, and were not directed at any particular parties.” “Opposition to aggression from any quarter,” the Embassy declared,” is a continuing United States policy.”
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