State Department: U.S. ‘key Allies’ to Be Notified in Advance of Jet Sale Decision

The State Department said today that America’s “key allies” would be notified in advance of the Nixon administration’s decision on Israel’s request to purchase more Phantom and Skyhawk jets. Public announcement of the decision is expected to be made by Secretary of State William P. Rogers at a press conference this week. The State Department said there were no meetings scheduled this week by Mr. Rogers or Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, Joseph J. Sisco, with Soviet Ambassador Anatoly F. Dobrynin. The three met at Mr. Dobrynin’s home on Saturday. The Secretary of State will leave on a two-week visit to Asia at the end of this week. The State Department today denied a report published in the Beirut newspaper Al Anwar alleging that the U.S. government was involved in a plot against the Libyan government in southern Libya last week. Department spokesman Carl Bartch said, “We categorically deny any U.S. involvement in Libya’s internal affairs and in view of the U.S. desire for continuing friendly relations with Libya we deplore the publication of this false charge.”