A British Government spokesman reasserted in Commons today his Government’s opposition to continuing Arab attempts to boycott British firms for dealing with Israel and said it would make further representations “whenever it seems that these would be fruitful. “
The Government statement came in reply to Sir Leslie Plummer, a Laborite, who drew attention to recent announcements from Baghdad and Amman adding Imperial Chemicals, Mond Nickel and other British and Commonwealth enterprises to the Arab boycott list because they traded with Israel.
John D. Profumo, Foreign Office spokesman in the House, replied that the Government “has, on several occasions, made representations to the Arab Government’s concerned. Her Majesty’s Government will continue to make further representations whenever it seems that these would be fruitful. “
(In Jerusalem, Israeli Foreign Ministry circles said today they had no information as to whether United Nations Undersecretary Ralph J. Bunche had discussed seizure of Israeli cargoes in the Suez Canal or whether he had received any assurances about the future from United Arab Republic officials in Cairo.)
(Dr. Bunche will arrive in Jerusalem Wednesday and will confer with Foreign Minister Golda Meir on Thursday. He will then head for Amman to see Jordanian officials, returning to Jerusalem Friday to meet Prime Minister David Ben Gurion.)
The Israel Ambassador to London, Eliahu Elath, is scheduled to meet Foreign Secretary Selwyn Lloyd tomorrow, for the first time in two months. They are expected to discuss recent developments in international affairs, with special emphasis on the current Middle East situation.
The Israel Ambassador was expected to reiterate his Government’s position regarding the need for maintaining the territorial integrity of all states in the Middle East.
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.
