France lifts arms embargo

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33626, 30 August 1974, Page 9

France lifts arms embargo

(X Z P A-Reuter— Copyright} ( PARIS. August 29. France’s decision to lift its Middle East arms embargo could lead to an arms race in the area with Egypt the most eager client, informed sources said today. They also said the relaxing of the seven-'.ear ban on arms sales to front-line Middle East countries was

unlikely to be welcomed by Israel, once Frances chief arms client. The conservative daily. "Le Figaro” said in an editorial today, "they are tired of waiting in Tel Aviv and have long since turned towards the Americans (for arms) and the first to benefit from this lifting of the embargo could well; be the Arab world.” The sources said that’ Egypt whose arms deliveries from the Soviet-Union have been cut off was likely to be among the first clients for French weapons. The lifting of the embargo comes after the disclosure by President Sadat of Egypt that Libya last year transferred some of <ts 110 French Mirage iet fighter-bombers to Egypt during the October Middle East War. There have been reports here recently that Egypt was t adv to buv 50 Mirages once the ban was lifted. Israel has recently expressed fears that any lift-

ing of the ban could benefit 1 the Arab world more than the Israelis. The decision to end the embargo was announced after a Cabinet meeting yesterday ■presided over by President Valery Giscard d’Estaing. The Government ipokesman Mr Andrei Rossi said that arms sales in the Middle East would be authorised on a case-by-case basis. Informed sources said the new policy centred on keeping a balance of forces in the area.