New Soviet Middle East Proposals

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28258, 22 April 1957, Page 11

New Soviet Middle East Proposals

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

(Rec. 10 p.m.) WASHINGTON, April 20. State Department officials promised a careful study today of the Soviet Union’s latest proposals for dealing with the Middle East situation. The Soviet Government sent a new Note to Washington yesterday, which was said to reassert its call for joint four-Power action to neutralise the whole strategic region by abandoning military alliances such as the Bagdad Pact, evacuating military bases, and cutting off arms supplies. The United States rejected in March a Russian proposal for a joint declaration along those lines. Authorities said today that the new Soviet message represented another bid for a stronger role for Russia in Middle East affairs. It did not offer a basis for action so long as Russia’s real policy appeared to be aimed at spreading Soviet power and influence in the area by making trouble wherever possible. Britain and France, which joined the United States in the earlier rejection of Soviet Middle East proposals, also received new Notes yesterday.

The Soviet news agency, Tass, said the substance of the Notes was a call for renunciation of the use of force to solve Middle East problems. The Notes recalled the previous draft declaration providing for non-intervention in the internal affairs of Middle East countries and respect for their national independence and sovereignty which it wishes the United States, Britain and France to adhere to. The Note said that the United States, by shunning these principles and not making constructive proposals in return, had refused to seek a basis for the settlement of the outstanding problems of the Middle East. It condemned the Eisenhower doctrine to combat communism in the Middle East as a factor increasing tension in the area. The Note to Britain particularly condemned the inclusion, at the recent British-American conference at Bermuda, of the United States in the military side of the Bagdad Pact. The Note to France complained of French support for Israel and “crude” economic pressure on Egypt.

U.S. Aid For Israel

WASHINGTON, April 20. United States officials said today that American economic and technical aid to Israel was being resumed. The United States cut off aid to Israel on October 29, 1956, when Israeli forces attacked Egypt. The State Department announced in March that talks on resuming aid would begin soon. A State Department spokesman said today the basic decision to resume aid had been made.