Soviet arms shipments to Egypt have already replaced the losses suffered by the Egyptians in the week-long Suez action the Times of London reported here today. The report, by the Times diplomatic correspondent, said that Russian arm shipments to Alexandria have slackened.
On the basis of known shipments before the Suez operation and of reports on munitions deliveries since last Fall, the Times correspondent estimated Soviet weapons as: 60 Stalin Mark III tanks; 250 T-34 tanks; 100 armored troop carriers; quantities of small arms and artillery; 40 II 28 bombers, and a quantity of trainer and transport aircraft. The estimated value of arms received before the Suez campaign, the Times said, was 120,000,000 pounds ($336,000,000).
Meanwhile, other reports received here indicates that another Arab state bordering on Israel, Jordan, is seeking additional heavy armaments. The reports picture Jordan as having approached the United States with requests for both heavy weapons and small arms.
These same sources assert that while the United States is giving Jordan military assistance–currently $10,000,000 worth–it prefers, for political and military considerations, to keep that aid to small arms. U.S. officials are said to have urged that Britain supply Jordan with heavy Centurion tanks and similar weapons. British agreement is anticipated, at least to the extent of several tanks.
Although the Jordanian arms request is viewed today in relation to the Syrian developments, the reports here said that King Hussein had asked Washington for the heavy weapons weeks before the Syrian military shift toward the Soviet Union.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
