Soviets Introduce Advance Missiles, Jets in Egypt; Bar Lev Sees No Peace This Year

Reliable circles here reported today that the Soviets have introduced an advanced type of missile and a new type of jet interceptors into Egypt. They said the advanced weapons were part of the March airlift in which Soviet planes landed substantial quantities of new military equipment in Egypt. Political circles here said today that the Russians do not appear to want another war in the region since they have consolidated their position in Egypt for a long time to come through the 15-year Cairo-Moscow treaty. The circles said that the Russians intend to use Egypt as a springboard for expanding their influence in Africa and the Persian Gulf. They do not want this springboard, with its two naval and six air bases, to be risked in a new war between Egypt and Israel. The Moscow-Cairo pact is expected to figure in Premier Golda Meir’s political report tomorrow to the Knesset. Mrs. Meir is expected to reiterate that despite the recent developments, Israel is still prepared to enter into an interim arrangement with Egypt to re-open the Suez Canal, informed political circles said today.

Israel takes a serious view of the Soviet-Egyptian treaty nevertheless, the circles said. They regard the treaty as a coup for the Kremlin and a “disaster” for the policies of rapprochement with Egypt pursued by U.S. Secretary of State Rogers. Chief of Staff Haim Bar Lev of Israel’s armed forces told foreign newsmen today that he saw no hope for peace this year but was confident that there would be no new outbreak of war. Gen. Bar Lev said peace was precluded for the time being because the Egyptians insist that Israel return to its pre-June, 1967 lines. “We do not claim that the Suez Canal is a final border, but we are not going back to where Egypt concentrated its troops in 1967,” he said. He observed that none of the parties involved–Egypt, Israel, the U.S. or the Soviet Union–wanted a renewal of hostilities. The Egyptians, he said, “see no point in starting a new war because nobody can be sure that a new war will change the present situation.” Gen. Bar Lev said that should fighting resume, “I am confident that Egypt will not find itself in a better position. I am confident that we shall hold all cease-fire lines.”