France Accused Of Hypocrisy

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32194, 13 January 1970, Page 9

France Accused Of Hypocrisy

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) TEL AVIV, January' 12. The Israeli newspapers today accuse France of hypocrisy over her decision to supply Libya with 50 Mirage jet fighter-bombers.

The mass-circulation evening newspaper, “Ma’ariv” says “President Georges Pompidou has out-De Gaulled De Gaulle in his one-sided, negative policy toward: Israel, in an attempt to penetrate the area with the aid of arms sales to our enemies. Like Moscow, Paris is also interested in tension and at least a small war, for only thus can it sell arms and open the gates for its own penetration.”

The Labour newspaper, “Davar,” says:. “Everyone, including France’s leaders, knows that the weapons supplied to Libya will serve its ally, Egypt. ... the advantages of this policy to France are doubtful. The disadvantage is that Paris’s word is revealed as untrustworthy, easily broken when it seems convenient"

The influential independent newspaper, “Ha’aretz,” comments: “The French intention to control the Western Mediterranean implies that the Eastern Mediterranean should be a Soviet domain. Paris is taking care of its own interests by cooperating with

the Russians to push the Americans out of the Arab States and the Mediterranean.”

In a statement, Hatzofeh, a national religious party, deplored “the transparent hypocrisy” of the French Government in attempting to justify its weapons policy. “French penetration into Libya, in exchange for antiIsraeli weaponry, disqualifies France as a Middle East peace mediator,” the statement said, adding: “France prefers Arab oil to the existence of Israel.” CAIRO TALKS

In Cairo, the Foreign Ministers of Egypt, Sudan and Libya resumed their three-day talks on co-ordinating the policies of the three States.

The Foreign Ministers of Egypt and Libya (Mr Mahmoud Riad and Mr Saleh Bousseir) and the Sudanese Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr Farouk Abu Eisa) had a first meeting yesterday, lasting three hours. During their meetings they are discussing how to implement the decisions for co-op-eration reached last month in Tripoli by their Heads of State after the failure of the Arab summit conference in Rabat.

The three leaders formed an alliance between Egypt, a front-line State in the conflict with Israel, and Sudan and Libya, which consider themselves directly involved.