BRITAIN AND EGYPT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 74, 28 March 1930, Page 6

BRITAIN AND EGYPT.

The Egyptian Prime Minister is now in London at the head of a delegation which has been authorised to negotiate a settlement of the controversial questions still outstanding Between Egypt and Britain. The draft treaty published early in August last is to form the basis of the discussions, and as this document was .described by Mr. Henderson as marking " the extreme limit" to Avhich Britain is prepared to go, we may assume that, if a settlement is arranged, it will follow the lines of these proposals. The chief points in ths draft are that the military occupation of Egypt by British troops is to be terminated, and' that the small detachment left to guard the Canal zone shall be removed eastward, so as to be entirely out of touch with Cairo and Alexandria. Britain is to assist Egypt to enter the League , of Nations, and is to urge the. other Powers to consent to the abolition of the extra-territorial-courts. The position in regard to -the Sudan is to remain unaltered, but in all other respects Egypt is to be virtually-a free and independent State. Even these generous concessions are not enough to satisfy Nahas Pasha and the Wafd or Nationalist Party which he leads. On the other hand, they are regarded by Conservative public opinion at Home as excessive and dangerous, and, unless the forecast of last August is substantially modified, there will be a great outburst of indignation from a large section of the House of Commons when the treaty is finally submitted to Parliament.