DENIAL BY U.S.

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28530, 8 March 1958, Page 13

DENIAL BY U.S.

“No Share In Plot” (Rec. 8 p.m.) WASHINGTON, March 6. The State Department today denied any suggestions by Arab spokesmen that the United States was involved in a plot against the new Uiited Arab Republic. Reports from Damascus yesterday said spokesmen accused King Saud of Saudi Arabia of attempting a multi-million-dollar plot to assassinate President Nasser, and thwart the union of Egypt and the new United Arab Republic. Lieutenant-Colonel Abdul Hamid Serraj, the Syrian Army “strong man,” was quoted as saying at a press conference that “the Americans are aware of the matter. . . .” Asked to comment on these charges, the State Department issued the following statement today:— “The implication contained in statements reportedly made by officials of the United Arab Republic that the United States was in some way involved in a plot against the republic is completely without foundation. “There have in recent months been a number of reports of statements made by various officials with the apparent purpose of implicating the United States in matters of this sort; all of these are untrue.” Antarctic Claim By Russians (Rec. 8 p.m.) MOSCOW, March 6. The Moscow Radio told its listeners tonight that a Soviet tractor team in a 69-day trek to the so-called Pole Of Inaccessibility had covered nearly 700 kilometres (about 437 miles) more than Dr Fuchs’s Commonwealth Trans-antarctic Expedition. The radio said that the tractor team had travelled 3,900 kilometres (2437 miles) successfully setting up the Soviet station. Sovetskaya. at the pole. They were greeted with hugs and kisses on their return to Mirny Base, the radio said.

Although there has been no announcement on how the allegations will affect diplomatic relations between the United Arab Republic and Saudi Arabia, observers believe the matter cannot remain without farreaching consequences. - It is generally evident that an irrevocable clash in the Middle East has begun. President Nasser today saw the manager of the Damascus branch of the Arab Bank and, it is understood, further investigated the circumstances of the alleged plot. Meanwhile, it is reported from Amman that Jordan’s King Hussein sent a telegram to King Saud today expressing his ‘‘deep sorrow” for “the mean and fabricated accusations” made against him yesterday. In his telegram, King Hussein spoke of “this familiar tune which is spread by poisonous hatred, against the Arab kings and leaders who have sacrificed themselves to serve their people and religion and to maintain their traditions. . . . ” King Hussein assured the Sau,di Arabian king of Jordan’s support. The American Associated Press reported from Amman that Saudi Arabia today broadcast an official communique saying the Saudi Arabian Government had no knowledge of the allegations. The allegations claimed that Saudi Arabia tried to prevent the merger of Syria and Egypt. The communique said that King Saud had ordered the formation of a committee to investigate the whole affair. Turkish Denial Of Syrian Charge (Rec. 8 p.m.) ANKARA, March 7. The Turkish Foreign Ministry last night denied Syrian newspaper allegations that Turkish jet aircraft had flown over the Syrian frontier on February 27 and tank and motorised forces had concentrated on the Turkish-Syrian frontier near Akcacale on March 4. U.S. Plans For Atom Plane (Rec.. 8 p.m.) NEW YORK. March 7 President Eisenhower had personally decided against the hurried building of an atomic plane for prestige purposes, the “New York Times” said today. The reason was that he did not want to divert scarce material and talent from atomic powered military aircraft which were being developed.