Aqaba mined as Thant begins talks

CAIRO, MAY 24. UN Secretary-General U Thant began consultations with UAR Foreign Minister Riad as Cairo announced that it had mined the Gulf of Aqaba and ordered its forces to fire on Israeli ships trying to enter the straits of Tiran.

According to informed sources in Cairo, the Secretary-General wants some sort of symbolic UN presence in the area to prevent a shooting war from breaking out.

France has suggested a meeting on the war time Big Four - the U.S., U.S.S.R, Britain and France to preserve peace in the Middle East.

An Egyptian source at the U.N. has expressed opposition to the French suggestion. Presidents De Gaulle of France and Tito of Yugoslavia have sent messages to President Nasser. Israeli Reaction: A Government spokesman in Tel Aviv declared that the mining of the Gulf was a most flagrant violation of the laws of the sea and a breach of the 1958 international convention of maritime law. Security Council meets: The United Nations Security Council after an hour’s wrangling debate took up consideration of the Middle East situation as requested by Canada and Denmark.

Before adoption of the agenda several countries, including India, had objected to the manner in which the meeting was convened without consultations and pointed out the inadvisability of holding discussions when the Secretary General, U Thant was on a delicate mission in Cairo.