In anticipation of Israeli Premier Golda Meir’s arrival here late today, the State Department announced “We look forward to welcoming Mrs. Meir as we have welcomed other distinguished visitors in recent weeks.” In asserting this, Department spokesman Charles Bray did not mention their names but he obviously was referring to the visits here early this month by Jordan’s King Hussein and last Friday by Hafez Ismail, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat’s personal emissary.
“Her visit,” Bray said regarding Mrs. Meir, “will give us an opportunity to continue our broad exchange of views with governments in the Middle East on all aspects of the area.” The talks with Mrs. Meir, he said, also will include bilateral matters. Asked whether the U.S. supply of weapons to Israel would be discussed, Bray responded that he could not exclude any subject from the discussions any more than he could have from the talks held with King Hussein and Ismail.
Bray announced that Mrs. Meir will meet with Acting Secretary of State Kenneth Rush at the State Department and with Secretary of Defense Elliot Richardson at the Pentagon on Wednesday. She meets President Nixon Thursday morning. Rush is the head of the Department in the absence of Secretary of State William P. Rogers who is in Paris for the Vietnam conference. Asked to comment on the Israel government’s decision to offer payments to families of victims of the Libyan airliner disaster, Bray replied the Israeli decision “does not call for any comments from this government.”
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
