Substantial progress has been made in the last few days toward working out a common Western policy for the highly inflammable situation around the Gulf of Akaba and the Gaza Strip, it was reported today from Washington by James Reston chief correspondent of the New York Times. Mr. Reston said it is understood that there is now general agreement among the Western powers on these objectives in the dispute between the Arab states and Israel:
1 The United Nations Emergency Force should occupy the extreme southeastern strip of the Sinai Peninsula along the Strait of Tiran and the island of Tiran until a new agreement is reached guaranteeing freedom of transit for all nations through the Gulf of Akaba and the Strait of Tiran.
2 The United Nations Emergency Force should also assume control of the Gaza Strip pending a more permanent settlement of the issues there.
3 Israeli troops should withdraw from both these areas on the understanding that United Nations forces would remain there long enough to enable a negotiated settlement of the Gulf of Akaba and Gaza Strip problems
Meanwhile the United States Britain and France, together with Canada, which is continuing to try to work out compromise solutions of these problems at the United Nations should oppose any efforts to force Israel by resolutions and economic pressure back into the position that existed before the outbreak of the war in Egypt, Mr. Reston reported
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