The White House said today that President Nixon did not intend to imply, in remarks at his July 27 news conference, that Greece or Turkey would be involved in the defense of Israel. The issue arose when officials of the Greek government declared on Saturday they objected to any US implication that Greece was a US outpost for the protection of Israel.
Deputy Foreign Minister Christian Xanthopolous-Palamas declared in Athens that “Greece’s friendly relations with the Arab world rule out any direct or indirect participation in any acts aimed at our Arab friends.” The Greek official made his statement in comment on a remark by President Nixon at the press conference that he continued to support aid to Greece and Turkey, which he said was even more important now than in the past “because of the fact that without aid to Greece and aid to Turkey, you have no viable policy to save Israel.”
Gerald L. Warren, deputy White House press secretary, said today that the President was “talking broadly” on the importance of US strength to “all of our friends and allies in the southern Mediterranean” when he made his comment about US aid to Greece and Turkey.” Warren said, in response to questions, that the President’s position concerning the southern end of the Mediterranean “is important to all our friends and allies and not to one single country.” State Department spokesman John King refused to discuss any phase of the matter, in keeping with the unbroken refusal of the department to discuss Middle East issues since Egyptian President Sadat ordered the ouster of Soviet military advisors last month.
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