Harvard Lecturer to Help Plan Saudi Arabian Military Facility

William J. LeMessurier '47, a guest lecturer at the Graduate School of Design, said yesterday that his firm. LeMessurier Associates, is working with the United States Army Corps of Engineers in designing what will be the largest military facility in Saudi Arabia.

Harvard instituted a policy this spring refusing involvement with Saudi Arabia because of the country's visa restrictions on Jews and other entering foreigners.

LeMessurier said that his work with the Saudi Arabians is not in conflict with the May 12th policy statement of Derek Bok, Harvard's president.

In that policy statement Bok announced that, "Harvard would not enter on any study where a foreign government could veto the employment of certain Harvard personnel on the grounds of religion."

The Saudi Arabian government requires that people must state their religion before acquiring entrance visas. The Foreign Ministry must specially authorize a Saudi consulate before a Jew is issued a visa.

LeMessurier said that the policy of the Saudi Arabian government was "taken seriously" before the decision to accept the contract was made.

He also said that the restricted entrance of Jews into Saudi Arabia was "the official policy, but that unofficially it depends on the individual, because I personally know of several Jews who were allowed entrance."