The Cabinet met here all day today to discuss the current Middle East crisis affecting the German Government, and called in a number of senior officials from various ministries.
There were indications that disagreements developed among various members of the Cabinet in regard to further steps in the present crisis. Some of the Ministers and experts met privately, and were evidently trying to reach a consensus. An official statement on the Cabinet’s decision is expected to be issued later tonight or after another meeting of the full Cabinet scheduled to be held tomorrow.
Meanwhile, State Secretary Karl-Gunther von Hase, spokesman for the Government, today clarified a statement made last week about Germany’s decision to cut off economic aid to Egypt. He explained that the decision does not mean that obligations of aid to Egypt, made in the past, would be severed. He said Bonn would still continue to make good on those earlier aid commitments if Nasser does not carry out his threat to refuse to pay Egypt’s debts to Germany.
Meanwhile, State Secretary Karl Carstens of the Foreign Office here told the Parliament today that legal proceedings are underway against agents mobilizing West German scientists for work in Egypt. The proceedings are being prepared by the Nurenberg Central Labor Office and are aimed especially at recruiters who seek rocket and aircraft experts, he said. Such recruiting activities are illegal in West Germany. The presence of such scientists in Egypt has been a source of acrimony between West Germany and Israel for several years.
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