The signing of the Israeli-Transjordan armistice agreement will probably take place here Tuesday, well informed observers predicted today.
Discussions regarding reduction of the Israeli and Trans Jordan forces which have been carried on for more than a fortnight by a Joint military sub-committee are expected to end Sunday with only political questions remaining to be reviewed. The sub-committee met again today and will probably hold another session tomorrow.
A Joint meeting of the Jews and Arabs here which was scheduled to take place today aid not materialize despite the return from Tel Aviv of top Israeli negotiators and Brig. Gen. William Riley and Henri Vigier, U.N. officials who attended the formal ceremonies at Ras-el-Nakura, on the Israeli-Lebanese frontier, where the armistice agreement between the Tel Aviv and Beirut governments was signed.
It was reported that the reason for the slowdown in the Joint military sub-committee today was submission of a demand by the Israelis that the British forces in the Aqaba area and along the Negev frontier be withdrawn, or the Arab forces be reduced in proportion to the British strength. The Jews argued that Israel has agreed in principle to a reduction and equalization of Israeli and Trans Jordan forces, and that the presence of the British units would leave the Arabs with a preponderance of power in the area.
Meanwhile, it was learned that U.N. mediator Ralph J. Bunche has asked U.N. Secretary-General Trygve Lie to use his influence with the British to reduce the tension in the Aqaba area and thus speed up completion of an Israeli-Transjordan agreement. The arrival here of a State Department representative, who was closeted with Dr. Bunche this afternoon, was interpreted to mean that the U.S. Government was seeking Information, on Aqaba in order to convince the British to ease the tension.
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