Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-01-26
ANKARA TALKS
Difficult Mission
Faces Dulles
View From
Washington
ANKARA TALKS
~ FRED THEROUx
star stan writer

star stan Writer
The recent Soviet attack on the
Baghdad pact and participation
in its annual conference by Sec
rotary of state Dulles Is certain
to bring new pressures on the
United States to assume full for
NAL membership in the pact.
That is the belief Of many Vest
ern diplomats here ON the eve Of
the opening Of the Ankara talks.
The Baghdad pact. which unites
Turkey. Iraq. Britain. Pakistan
and Iran in q northern tier de-
fensive alliance against any Com
munist aggression in the area.
was the 1855 result Of 1858 sug-
gestion by Mr.. Dulles. The United
States has never joined as a full
fiedeed member. although Ameri-
can representatives sit on the
economic. military. and antisub-
versive committees of the alliance
and American observers have at
tended all the major pact meet
ings.
The Dulles policy has been to
withhold formal alignment with
the periodically the Middle
East Treaty Organization-in or
der to make United States rela-
tons with the Arab states more
flexible.
Hostility 10 the pact among the
Arab nations. led by Egypt and
Syria. has intensified since its in
ception, reaching an especially
bitter pitch after the British
French-Israel attack on Egypt in
1856. Mr.. Dulles has sought 10
hold the door open" to improved
relations with the Arab nations in
the hope that a more favorable
climate might lead to Arab par
ticipation in q widened Middle
East anti-communist alliance.
Pressure Grows
With MoscowS attitude stitfen-
ing and Arab support lacking.
British desire for American mem
bership in the pact has increased.
The British. as well as the states
men Of the other pact members,
particularly Turkey and Pakistan,
are urging ofIicial American adj
herence TO the alliance as q prac-
teal necessity. American policy
IN the Middle East. they have
warned. requires about support
and participation by the leader
Of the Western alliance. In this
view. nothing further Is TO be
gained by stunning membership
in the pact.
Mr.. Dulles has announced that
the United States intends no
change in its relations with the
alliance at this time. His visit
to the Ankara conference. he has
indicated. Is intended only to
Teinvigorate the pact BY lending
personal prestige to its deliber-
atoms. The Secretary on several
occasions has pointed out that the
so-called Eisenhower doctrine for
the Middle East. approved by
Congress last spring. was in
tended as q substitute for formal
American membership.
Under the terms Of the Eisen-
lower doctrine. the United States
pledges support, including armed
Intervention. to any Middle East
ern nation threatened with Com
munist aggression.
Critics Of the Dulles approach
contend that Developments in the
Middle East have already shown
clearly that Arab nationalism, in
all the Arab states. will never
permit general Arab adherence TO
the Baghdad alliance. Even pro-
Western Lebanon. they point out.
refrains from association with II.
Thus the alternatives. they insist,
are (lJ for the United States TO
go About In support and member
ship in the pact. consolidating
what strength It now has and
abandoning fruitless efforts to win
Arab support, or t2) to drop the
pact entirely. in favor Of some
new ARRANGEMENT to insure Arab
independence Of Communist in
huences.
jhun Involvement
Proponents Of the latter al
.ernative hold that the Arab ma
tons, including Egypt and Syria.
have no intention to become So
Wet satellites. Egyptian President
Nasser In particular is considered
determined to keep his nation
aIoof from outright Soviet ties.
while at the same time accepting
Red military and economic as
sistance. Syrian spokesman have
voiced the same intentions and
insist their noninvolvement policy
is feasible.
But the newly organized Asian
African Solidarity Conference,
which met in Cairo this month.
demonstrated so unmistakable a
Communist domination that Col
Nasser himself was reported dis
mayed To the West. the confer
ence disclosed a pro-Soviet dis
position among the Arab and other
nations that spelled grave danger
to the naghdad pact. even the
possible withdrawal Of Iraq and
possibly Iran as a result Of grow
ing pressure from anti-Western
nationalism. Mr.. Dulles visit 10
Ankara is one result Of such dis
quieting possibilities.
For the present ct least, Mr..
Dulles seems decided to make no
major change in American policy
toward the Middle East. He has
pointed to the Eisenhower doc
trine's offer Of support to any
group Of nations" In the Middle
East resisting Communist agrees
sion as a pledge of full military
aid TO the Baghdad pact as we'll
as TO individual states. Meanwhile,
the economic aid authorized in the
Eisenhower doctrine as approved
by congressional resolution, he be-
lieves. will strengthen the recipient
nations and work to improve Arab
attitudes toward American policy
Nearly $3.50 million has already