President Eisenhower was in contact with Secretary of State Dulles today on the new situation in the Middle East caused by Egypt’s surprise move to reassert its authority over the Gaza Strip and conferred on the crisis with Congressional leaders as intense diplomatic activity was reported from all the world’s capitals.
In Jerusalem, American Ambassador Edward B. Lawson called on Foreign Minister Golda Meir tonight. It is believed that he was asked to convey to Washington the serious view Israel takes of both the disturbances in Gaza and Egypt’s announced determination to take over authority in the Gaza Strip. Mrs. Meir also received the French Ambassador, Pierre Gilbert, prior to his departure for Paris.
At the United Nations, Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold discussed the status of the United Nations Emergency Force for the second successive day with his seven-nation advisory committee. After an hour with the committee, delegates from the five nations contributing military contingents to UNEF were called in. Mr. Hammarskjold was also expected to meet the heads of other leading delegations today, among them that of the United States.
BRITISH CABINET MEETS TO STUDY NEW GAZA SITUATION
In London, Foreign Secretary Selwyn Lloyd reported to a meeting of the British Cabinet and Government circles reflected the gravest concern over the latest developments. The Government was reported in consultation with Paris and Washington about the possibility of seeking further definition of the tasks of the United Nations Emergency Force in Gaza which Col. Nasser seeks to reduce to a border patrol. The British Foreign Office did not seem to share the belief of the States Department that Nasser’s appointment of a Governor for Gaza was a propaganda move designed for home consumption.
In Paris, Prime Minister Guy Mollet, in a radio and television talk to the French nation, said last night that the news from Gaza is “not good.” He said that “I have the impression that our American friends who already better understood our position last week, will come to the conclusion that we were right in denouncing Nasser’s attitude.
French Foreign Minister Christian Pineau had a 45-minute meeting today with Israel Ambassador Jacob Tsur to discuss the new situation. The Israel envoy stressed Israel’s concern over the developments and warned of the grave dangers created by Egypt’s action. M. Pineau declared that strong diplomatic action by the Great Powers was required. He told Mr. Tsur that he would communicate with the United States and other countries to concert measures to meet the situation.
ISRAEL AMBASSADOR TO SEE SOVIET FOREIGN MINISTER
In Moscow, Col. Joseph Avidar, the Israel Ambassador, was scheduled to meet tomorrow with Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko in the first official Soviet-Israel talk in Moscow since last November.
In Ottawa, Canadian Government sent 32 reconnaissance soldiers by air to Naples today to reinforce a squadron waiting there for permission to land on Egyptian soil, but Government sources said Egypt might not permit further landings of Canadian troops.
The four Congressional leaders who conferred with the President at the White House yesterday were Speaker Sam Rayburn, Senate Republican leader William F. Knowland, House Republican leader Joseph W. Martin Jr., and Senate Democratic leader Lyndon Johnson. Sen. Knowland described the meeting as “constructive and helpful.”
Sen. Johnson told the Senate today that Egypt’s challenge to the United Nations was a matter of “deepest concern.” He said “it is understood that there are internal political problems in Egypt which are difficult for the authorities to handle, but there are also internal political problems in Israel which Premier David Ben Gurion faced courageously and decisively.”
The State Department withheld comment on the situation today on the grounds that no word had been received from Cairo or from the United Nations on the Egyptian demand. It was known, however, that the United States viewed with alarm the Egyptian move to take over administration of the Gaza Strip.
U.S. ‘CLOSELY FOLLOWING’ DEVELOPMENTS, SPOKESMAN SAYS
At his press briefing today, Lincoln White, State Department spokesman, refused to state whether Raymond Hare, American Ambassador to Cairo, had been instructed to take up the new Egyptian move with Col. Nasser. He also refused to comment on whether the United States believes that Egypt has the right to administer the Gaza Strip.
Mr. White said that the United States is “closely following” developments in the Gaza Strip. He said this country has “consistently and strongly” supported the role of the United Nations and the United Nations Emergency Force to restore conditions of tranquility and that the United States hopes that all parties concerned will continue to cooperate with the United Nations in its peace-making efforts.
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