White House Officials Say Nixon’s Mideast Statement Reaffirms Existing Policy

White House officials said Monday that President Nixon was merely reaffirming existing policy in his message on arms and other matters issued Sunday. The message was sent to the “National Emergency Conference on Peace in the Middle East,” an assembly of over 1,000 Jewish leaders from throughout the nation. The portion of the message that pledged U.S. aid to Israel to maintain a balance has caused an angry protest from the Arab nations.

White House spokesman Ronald Ziegler said that the President was reaffirming existing policy in stating that the United States would not hesitate to arm friendly states such as Israel if need arose. Mr. Ziegler said the remarks were not linked with the new French-Libyan arms deal. White House sources said that U.S. policies were misunderstood and misinterpreted by Israel’s supporters and that the President sent the message to reaffirm and clarify the American stand on Israel.

Mr. Ziegler told the press at a briefing separate from the informal remarks of other officials that any additional arms sold to Israel would be on a “purchase basis” rather than in the form of a free grant. The spokesman was asked if the U.S. might also sell arms to the Arab states to maintain a balance. He replied that he was “not in a position to expand on our statement of yesterday.” He referred to the President’s message. Mr. Ziegler was asked if the President considered that an imbalance now existed. He replied that “we, of course, in reviewing the situation, will consider all aspects. But I wouldn’t want to make a flat statement this afternoon.” White House officials stressed that U.S. peace moves have created impressions regarded by the President as erroneous and that he issued the statement to correct any misunderstanding.