Hussein wins promise of 200 U.S. tanks

Press, 21 June 1980, Page 9

Hussein wins promise of 200 U.S. tanks

NZPA-Reuter Washington

Kin,, Hussein ef Jordan, has .gained a promise of American tanks for his Army, despite failure to agree with President Carter on. the right pathway to peace in the Middle East.

Officials said that the United States Government had reversed an earlier decision and was now ready to sell Jordan 200 of • the M 6 0 A 3 series tanks, equipped with night-vision sights, in a SUS32O million deal..

The disclosure was made at virtually the same time as . King Hussein spoke at the National Press Club in Washington, strongly urging the United States to support Palestinians in their hopes for self-determination and an independent homeland. The United States firmly hacks Israel’s opposition to the' creation of an independent Palestinian republic on its borders. But th? United States Government is keen for. Jordan to join Egypt and; Israel in the American-spon-! sored talks on a form of autonomy on the West Bank

and tn me Gaza Strip. King Hussein refrained from any such commitment in his two days of talks with President Carter this week, although he said Jordan would now play a more active role in the search for a comprehensive peace between Israel and its Arab neighbours. Some American officials said the Government had made a firm decision on Supplying 100 M6OA3 tanks to Jordan, and that King Hussein’s request for 100 more would be taken up only after < -nsultations with Congress.

But other officials said the 200-tank deal was sealed.

They said the Government wanted to split it into two parts to dilute inevitable antagonism from Israel’s supporters in the Senate and the House of Rep-senta-' tives.

As for the ominous issue of night-vision sights, officials said these had already been provided in tanks supplied to Israel, Igypt, and Saudi Arabia.

The King said Jordan already had earlier versions of

Moo tanks for many years and wanted to modernise an J enlarge its arsenal. President Carter initially refused last year to sell Jordan 100 M6OA3 tanks, leading King Hussein to cancel his order and buy 100 British Chieftain tanks instead. The Chieftains, which do have night-vision sights, became available after Iran cancelled an order to buy them.

King Hussein’s speech to the Press Club was hailed by both American and Jordanian officials as “positive.”

He urged the United States to take a balanced approach to the Arab-Israeli dispute. But he said Jordan was in continuous contact with the Palestine Liberation Organisation about more steps. “Our purpose is to open avenues to peace, not close them.”

In one passage, the softvoiced King said with controlled passion: “Why can’t the international community, including the United States, focus its efforts and mobilise its resources to initiate, now and immediately, a pro-

cess that leads to the peaceful liberation of the Palestinians and the emergence of a free and peaceful Palestinian homeland?” In West. Germany, Saudi objections to the European Common Market’s declaration on the Middle East have emerged clearly at the end of a State visit by King Khalid of Saudi Arabia. In his country’s first response to the initiative, the Saudi Foreign Minister (Prince Saud Faisal) said that although there were positive aspects to the Community’s stand, “we thought that it fell short of a settlement that could be implemented as a basis for a settlement.”

It was an important step for the E.E.C. to have made a general declaration endorsing the Palestinians’ right to self-determination. But he had made clear! during talks in Bonn that Saudi Arabia felt the E.E.C.I had shown “some vagueness”! concerning Palestinian repre-i sentation by the Palestine; Liberation Organisation andl restoring . Arab jurisdiction! over Jerusalem. !