Eban Does Not Attach Too Much Importance to Ismail’s Visit

Foreign Minister Abba Eban said today that he did not attach much importance to the visit to Washington this week of Hafez Ismail, President Anwar Sadat’s national security advisor. He dismissed speculation that Ismail would try to forestall further agreements between Israel and the U.S. Egypt has no say in mutual relations between Israel and America, Eban said.

The Foreign Minister spoke to reporters on his return from a visit to Britain. He said the assignment of Ismail who is known as “the Egyptian Kissinger” was to explain his country’s position in various world capitals and Washington is one of them.

Israeli sources predicted today that the U.S. would make a serious effort to get Egypt to renew contacts with Israel for an interim Suez Canal agreement but they were convinced that Washington does not plan to suggest anything new or to impose any solution on Israel.