CONCERN OVER GULF CLOSURE

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31377, 24 May 1967, Page 17

CONCERN OVER GULF CLOSURE

Britain, U.S. Warn Egypt (N.Z. Press Association —Copyright) CAIRO, May 23. The Middle East crisis centred on the Gulf of Aqaba today, after the President of Egypt, Colonel Nasser, closed it to Israeli ships, cutting off Israel’s only sea outlet to the south and east, the Associated Press reported.

President Nasser announced that the United Arab Republic had placed an armed garrison at die mouth of the port and would also bar non-Israeli ships bearing strategic items to Israel.

He made the announcement while visiting a front line Egyptian air base in Sinai yesterday.

The United Nations Secre-tary-General, U Thant, was on his way by air to Cairo by way of Paris. He was expected to confer in Cairo with President Nasser, other Egyptian leaders and Major-Gen-eral Indar Jit Rikhye, commander of the United Nations force ousted from the Gaza Strip by President Nasser. Britain was reported to be ready to back United Nations action against interference with the free movement of vessels through the Gulf of Aqaba. Qualified informants also disclosed that Britain, under pressure from King Feisal of Saudi Arabia, was considering increased security measures for an independent Saudi Arabia. Russian Influence In Washington, Administration officials were reported hopeful that the Soviet Union would use its influence with Egypt and other Arab powers to help ease tensions in the Middle East, the Associated Press said. The United States, asked

by Israel to repeat publicly its commitment not to tolerate aggression in the Middle East, has reportedly refused to do so immediately. However, at a State Department foreign policy briefing yesterday it was learned the United States was issuing a warning against interference with shipping in the Gulf of Aqaba. A department spokesman said it was considered an international waterway and was not to be closed off. Lebanon Call-up Expansion of tensions was reflected on other fronts as Lebanon called up military reservists after a meeting between President Charles Helou and top-level officials in Beirut. - At the United Nations, the Israeli Ambassador, Mr Gideon Rafael, said his country was determined to “exercise its right of self-defence” if any aggressive action were taken against it In Jerusalem, before President Nasser’s statement the Prime Minister, Mr Levi Eshkol, who is also the Defence Minister, called for "a reciprocal liquidation of existing troop concentrations on the Egyptian-Israeli frontiers” as well as other peace-insuring steps by the two sides and the United Nations.