DEADLOCK IN M. EAST

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31501, 16 October 1967, Page 13

DEADLOCK IN M. EAST

Prospects Of Settlement (N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) NEW YORK, October 15. The Secretary-General of the United Nations (U Thant), hinted yesterday that prospects for Security Council action to break the Middle East deadlock might be brightening.

He told reporters that American and Egyptian delegates would discuss the situation in talks in New York tomorrow, and that after their meeting he believed the whole situation would become clearer.

It was assumed that the participants in the meeting would be the United States Ambassador, Mr Arthur Goldberg, perhaps joined by an Assistant Secretary of State. Mr Joseph Sisco, and the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Mr Mahmoud Riad. U Thant said he did not believe Russia was involved in the talks but, if so, the contacts might be held in Washington. Mr Goldberg discussed the Middle East situation for more than an hour this week with the Soviet Ambassador, Mr Anatoly Dobrynin. The General Assembly agreed on Friday to postpone its debate on the Middle East, which had been due to begin tomorrow.

Delegates feared that a possible acrimonious Assembly

debate would poison the atmosphere for negotiations and make the task even more difficult.

A leading British diplomat, Sir Harold Beeley, who is Hying to Cairo to discuss the chances of resuming diplomatic relations betwen Britain and the United Arab Republic, will make a quick start on his mission after his arrival tomorrow. Well-informed sources said a meeting had been arranged for tomorrow morning between Sir Harold Beeley and the Acting Foreign Minister, Mr Ahmed Hassan El-Fikky. In the afternoon, he will see an old friend, Dr Mahmoud Fawzy, assistant to President Nasser in foreign affairs.

A first meeting between Sir Harold Beeley and the President could take place on Tuesday, the sources said. Sir Harold was fully briefed in London on the Cairo scene by Sir Dingle Foot, a former Solicitor-General, who earlier last week had unofficial talks with President Nasser. Prepared To Talk

President Nasser was prepared to start talks with Israel on a solution to the Middle East crisis even before a withdrawal of Israeli forces from Sinai, Sir Dingle Foot was reported as saying by the “Observer”. After his talk with President Nasser last Thursday. Sir Dingle Foot said the President was ready to accept an end to the state of war with Israel, but would not consider a final settlement—including a reopening of the Suez Canal—until Israeli troops left Egyptian territory.