BRITAIN AND EGYPT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 145, 1 April 1930, Page 5

BRITAIN AND EGYPT

NEGOTIATIONS OPENED. MANY INTERESTS IDENTICAL. FRIENDSHIP AND GOCXDWILL. (United Press Association —Copyright.) (Received This Day, 10.15 a.m.) LONDON, March 31. Twenty-four Egyptians, in sombre morning dress, with red fezzes, sat on one side of the Locarno room at the Foreign Office, and 27 British representatives occupied' the other side. The vital concern of Dominions was exemplified by the attendance of Mr T. M. Wilford (High Commissioner for New Zealand), and Mr Casey. Youth predominated among the Egyptians. ! No references were made by Mr Henderson or Nahas Pasha at the opening of the Conference to- security of the Suez Canal, except by inference in the presence of Air Thomas Shaw (Secretary of State for War), and Lord Thomson* (Secretary of State for Air), supporting Mr Henderson. Mr Henderson said the occasion was of especial significance in the relations of two countries, which had come together, firstly, to strengthen the League—that great organisation which the nations were building up to establish world peace; and, secondly, to seal by a treaty of friendship between the two peoples* whose interests in so many respects were identical. There liad l been failures in the past. He refused to countenance the possibility' of failure on tjiis occasion. His Majesty’s Government was miich gratified to observe that the spirit of friendship and goodwill which had prompted its offer last August had been reciprocated by Egypt. He looked forward to seeing the relations between Great Britain and Egypt secured on the basis of permanent friendship. , Nahas Pasha, replying, referred to the generous sympathy that had prompted the British Government in making the proposals for an AngloEgyptian Treaty, and to which it was his* pleasing duty to make public homage. Egypt had responded to Britain’s conciliatory interest's with equal goodwill. He felt convinced that an agreement, satisfactory to both sides Mould be reached. The previous failures m no way discouraged the Egyptian delegations. The representatives of the two coum tries then retired 'behind closed doors to wrestle with their difficulties.'