Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger reiterated today U.S. opposition to Big Power involvement in the Middle East conflict. He said that such involvement — by the U.S. and the USSR–would only turn the Mideast into an arena of conflict between them. He added, however, that “outside countries have learned that they have an obligation to remove the dangers that the Middle East represents and the United States is prepared to bring about a major effort toward a just and durable peace.”
Kissinger, speaking to newsmen after he emerged from a closed door briefing he gave to members of the House Armed Services Committee, and as Egypt’s Acting Foreign Minister Ismail Fahmi arrived here to meet tomorrow with President Nixon and the Secretary of State, stated that he regarded the meeting last night between senior Israeli and Egyptian officers–the first since 1956–as an encouraging step forward in attempts to work out a Middle East peace settlement. Kissinger affirmed that the chances of peace were better than they have been during the past 20 years.
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