Britain and Egypt

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25437, 8 March 1948, Page 6

Britain and Egypt

Though Britain and Egypt have both declared that constitutional reform in the Sudan should not be delayed by their differences over the Sudan’s eventual political status, there has been little to suggest that swift or easy progress will follow the new approach which the Governor of the Sudan, Sir Robert Howe, made to the two partners in the condominium last month. Sir Robert Howe submitted new proposals, amending those which the earlier Anglo-Sudanese conference worked out and to which the Egyptians objected, to develop self-gov-erning institutions in, the Sudan, but, as a recent cable message reported, the Egyptian response has so far not been encouraging. It is to be hoped that the message, recording the rejection by the Egyptian Council of Ministers of the proposals to establish an executive council and an advisory assembly for the Sudan, does not mean that the British suggestion of an AngloEgyptian conference on the new plans will be fruitless. For one thing, the Sudanese have shown enough they are ready for political progress, and the delays arising from the British attempts to propitiate the Egyptians might provoke some of the more extreme nationalist elements among them to unwise action. ,Until there is agreement, moreover, on immediate measures for constitutional development in the Sudan, it will, of course, be doubly difficult for Britain and Egypt to approach again the wider issues that remain open between them on the Sudan’s ultimate status. It was largely over this tender subject that the AngloEgyptian treaty negotiations broke down, and since it is not easy for an Egyptian politician to backpedal, a successful conclusion to the present negotiations could perhaps offer Nokrashy Pasha the loophole he may well need for reopening talks on the decisive issue. It is true that the Egyptians have said that their amendments to the Sudan Administration Conference proposals must be accepted and that last week’s decision of the Council of Ministers suggests that they are preparing for a firm stand; but it is still possible that, as the “ Econo- “ mist ” suggested recently, they may be persuaded that a different attitude is necessary. Developments in Palestine may persuade them. Pointing out that tranquillity in the Levant is the chief common interest of Britain and Egypt, the “Econo- “ mist ” said that this peace “ threat- “ ens to be disturbed if—when the

“ British forces leave Palestine—- “ that land turns, as is only too pos- “ sible, into yet another battle- “ ground between American money “ and Russian ideas It saw as symptomatic the news that Dr. Sneh

had resigned from the Haganah because the embryo Jewish State was looking west when it ought to be looking east, and added that, with other news of the same kind, it had set Egyptian politicians thinking seriously. How seriously may well be shown by the progress of the present negotiations.