U.S. Sees Aid to Nasser As Factor in Safeguarding of Israel

United States diplomats in Bonn have urged the West German government to continue economic aid to Egypt, reliable official sources made known here today.

Continued American aid to Egypt, and efforts to improve relations with the Nasser regime, were the top priority objectives of American Near Eastern policy, Phillips Talbot, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, told the House Foreign Affairs Committee, according to testimony made public today. He stressed the need for an American “presence” in Cairo, declaring that such a “presence” helped safeguard Israel, and asserted: “I have not heard any official Israel statement arguing that we should remove our presence from the Arab world.”

Mr. Talbot made known that the State Department is trying to “go along” with the Nasser regime and there are indications that Egypt “does not seek a final confrontation with the United States at this stage.” He said, “our concern at the present time is that we maintain a presence in the area which helps to reduce the prospects of polarization and the dangers to peace because the alternative seems to us to be a possibility–on some days one could almost be tempted to say a likelihood–of a very, very destructive situation indeed in the area.”

He pointed cut that Israel-Arab tensions are growing over the water diversion issue. He said “the visible diversion works, at present, are in Syria, within view of Israel. Tensions are growing, although our estimates are that it will be a long time, if ever, before the diversion works on the Arab side exceed the allocations provided for Arab use in the Johnston plan of 1955.” He said: The Jordan water problem “could at any moment become very serious indeed. However, with restraint on the part of the different parties, I believe it may be possible for the area to get through this period without hostilities.”

A report was also made by Mr. Talbot that “border incidents between Israel and its neighbors have in recent months increased in frequency, and tensions over the Jordan water issue and the build-up of arms have risen.” He saw a time of “very great ferment” in the Near East, representing “considerable danger.”

Citing what he considered the dangers of cutting off aid to Nasser, he said that “because of his appeal to the Arab masses as a leader in pan-Arab causes, we believe Nasser would have the capability to enlist most of the other Arab states in his support, if such a showdown with the West occurred.” After aid to Syria was stopped, said Mr. Talbot, Syrian attitudes grew worse. The testimony indicated that Mr. Talbot suggested that the Soviet Union was provoking Syria’s restlessness and incursions against Israel.

Rep. Leonard Farbstein, New York Democrat, brought out through questioning of Mr. Talbot that new American aid for Egypt is contemplated by the State Department. Asked if German differences with Cairo would affect the future of American aid to Egypt, Mr. Talbot said “our efforts are going to continue to be actions which are best calculated to tamp down the very dangerous situation in the threat of hostilities and maintain the peace.”