Francisco Urrutia of Colombia, Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold’s personal representative who negotiated the recent Israel-Jordan Mt. Scopus agreement, will go to Bagdad next week in an attempt to get Iraq to adhere officially to the Jordan-Israeli armistice agreement.
Dr. Urrutia will seek to pin down a general declaration made by Kings Faisal and Hussein of Iraq and Jordan, following their “anschluss” several weeks ago, that the new Arab Federation would adhere to international commitments of its separate parts.
Iraq, which was one of the Arab states to attack Israel in 1948, was the only one of the aggressor countries which did not sign an armistice agreement with Israel. It has no treaties whatsoever governing relations with the Jewish State. Premier David Ben Gurion of Israel expressed his misgivings only a few days ago on what might happen if Iraqi troops suddenly appeared on Israel borders. Both Mr. Hammarskjold and Dr. Urrutia would like to get some official commitment from Bagdad before such an eventuality can occur.
Dr. Urrutia will visit Jerusalem either on his way to or from Bagdad. On his return from the Middle East, he will replace Ahmed Bokhari as head of the UN Department of Public Information, but without the title of Under Secretary General.
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