The British Government’s policy in the Middle East is to avoid any action that might promote an arms race in the area and also to be ready to consider requests from any Middle East countries for arms for self-defense, Peter Thomas, Joint Parliamentary Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs, declared in the House of Commons today.
He made the statement in a written reply to a series of questions from Laborite MP Roy Mason who had asked if the Government was aware of the growing export of Soviet arms to the Arab countries. The MP also had asked what understanding had been reached between Britain and the United States on maintenance of the military balance of power in the Middle East.
He asked also whether the British Government was aware of the growing military strength of Egypt and other Arab countries, of the concern that the power balance was becoming upset and whether Britain had any plans to assist Israel to maintain the military status quo.
“Her Majesty’s Government is aware that the Soviet bloc has been supplying arms to some Arab states for a number of years and continues to do so,” the Undersecretary said in his reply. “We are in regular touch with our United States allies on this and other problems affecting the Middle East.” In describing the Government’s Middle East policy, he added that it was not the Government’s practice “to disclose the details of arms supplied to particular countries.”
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
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.
