University of Virginia Library

Sisco Labels Middle East Crisis
'Most Dangerous U.S. Problem

By ELIZABETH JOHNSON

Calling the Middle East
crisis "one of the most
dangerous of our problems."
Joseph J. Sisco, Assistant
Secretary of State for Near
Eastern and South Asian
Affairs, last night warned
against complacency over the
1970 Arab-Israeli ceasefire.

"Vietnam is often referred
to as one of our most
agonizing problems," he told
a near-capacity Chemistry
auditorium crowd. "In turn
the Middle East is our most
troublesome and dangerous
problem. The seeds of war
exist not only between the
Arabs and Israelis but also
between major powers with
interests in this area,
particularly the Soviet Union
and United States."

"Although the ceasefire is
in its thirtieth month there is
daily evidence of how fragile
the ceasefire is. Instability
could break out if something
more serious is not done," he
asserted.

Mr Sisco said that U.S.
policy toward the Middle
East could best be summed
up by the November 1967
U.N. resolution.

However, he asserted,
when the resolution was
adopted by unanimous vote,
in actuality two resolutions
were adopted.

The Israelis interpreted it
not necessarily meaning total
withdrawal but that final
borders would be decided by
negotiation. The Arabs, on
the other hand, interpreted
it as total Israeli withdrawal
to the lines that existed
before the June War.

"The ceasefire agreement
has gotten people used to
the fact that a kind of de
facto peace is in existence,"
he warned. "Yet we cannot
be complacent. The fact of
the matter is that the no
peace-no war situation is not
in the interests of the United
States."

In reference to steps taken
last summer to reduce Soviet
presence in the Middle East,
the State Department official
claimed that the decision was
made for internal reasons.
"The fact that Sudat was
under criticism over his
reliance on Soviet policies
the irritations between the
Soviet and Egyptian
military and the fact that the
Egyptians felt dissatisfaction
over the military supply with
the Soviets all contributed to
the decision," he said.

"But while Soviet presence
is reduced," he added, "there
still remains a sizable Soviet
presence and the possibility
of confrontation in that
country."

Mr. Sisco claimed that the
Moscow summit meeting in
May had a major impact on
the Middle East. "The U.S.
and the Soviet Union
confirmed their objective that
a solution be found based on
the U.N. resolution. Although
they have differing opinions
of how it should come
about, they are both
committed to the objective
of finding a solution."

Two options exist for the
United States, Mr. Sisco said.
"We as a government could
take a complacent view of
the status quo, but in the
absence of progress toward
settlement the area is bound

to deteriorate. The longer
the occupation lasts, the
more difficult it is to set the
clock back, he noted.