President Ford, preoccupied with the Vietnam crisis, met for an hour today at the White House with Jordan’s King Hussein between urgent sessions with Cabinet members and Congressional leaders on Indochina problems. Afterwards the White House said the President “reaffirmed the U.S. continued and active import for the Jordanian government’s efforts toward economic development and the importance the U.S. attaches to a strong stable and friendly Jordans.” The President also said that “the U.S. remains committed to working for a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.”
The warmly worded communique was observed as being in sharp contrast to the stand-off statements recently made by the President and Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger regarding U.S. relations with Israel. Hussein is here on an “unofficial” visit and is to receive honorary degrees from several colleges, including Florida State University. He will be a guest at a black tie “working” dinner at the White House tonight. The meeting today was also attended by Zayd Rifai. Jordan’s Prime Minister, Kissinger and Tom Pickering, the U.S. Ambassador to Jordan.
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