The Nome Nugget

Dulles Answers Questions as Result
Of Assertions in New Biography

WASHINGTON, (AP)--Secretary of State Dulles denied yesterday that the United States ever made a flat commitment to defend the Nationalist islands of Quemoy and Matsu.

Dulles told a news conference there was no U.S. commitment, secret or otherwise, except for that expressed in a congressional resolution adopted Jan. 28, 1955.

This "Formosa Resolution" gave President Eisenhower congressional approval for a fight-if-necessary policy in the Formosa crisis. It left to Eisenhower discretion the decision to defend the Nationalist-held islands of Quemoy and Matsu off the Communist Chinese mainland, if he felt any attack on them was a Red invasion thrust at Formosa.

Dulles was questioned at his news conference on the basis of a new biography's assertion that Eisenhower sent a "personal assurance" to Nationalist China's President Chiang Kai-shek satisfying Chiang that the United States would help defend Quemoy and Matsu.

Under questioning on one of the points in the book, Dulles said it is not true that the U.S. cancelled its offer to help Egypt build the Aswan Dam in order to force an economic aid showdown with the Soviet Union.

The writer, John R. (Jack) Beal, Time magazine's diplomatic reporter, described the Aswan action as a "major gambit" by Dulles in the cold war with Russia.

Dulles said there were a number of reasons for the cancellation. He mentioned doubt that Egypt, burdened by arms purchases, could finance its own end of the deal, the question whether this country might encounter dislike if the project failed for that reason, and the increasing alignment of Egypt with Russia.