BRITAIN AND EGYPT

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26393, 11 April 1951, Page 7

BRITAIN AND EGYPT

DEBATE SOUGHT IN COMMONS

fflpfctai etattaptmtUMt (Rec. llJd p.m.) LONDON, April ill. Hintz of a Parliamentary stoem which is expected oveF the prapraM evacuation of British troops from the Suez Canal zone were given la,the Bof Commons when Mr J. Bakdtx (Conservative) sought uttaUcily to move the adjournment of the Houm to diMua* th* eVMtiaWi a* a def .nite matter of urgent public tthruled Mr Baker-Whim’s motion nut of otiMr as the matter* he mentioned were not definite. He ruled that a motion could be moved W obtain iniormatiop concerning th* instructions the Govern: went had given to Mr I Mk«| l Me, a* Leader of the Hou**, to aa assurance that members would be alti* to discuss th* situation M*r* a fIMUHte conclusion was mcMd, “Isn’t Mr Ede aware that although the treatymaking power Of theCrtrtrti I*. in no way dhafiehged, nevertheless H to customary for the GOvanMOh* to carry with it the opinion ofPariiament, upon whose judgment it depends?” to make a statement until he had Consulted With the Foreign Beeretary (Mr Herbert Morrison). _ Mr Bden CrttlMl .The Deputy-Leader of the Oppraition (Mr Anthony ttden), speaking at Nottingham, was zap critical of th* Government’s handling of the Ktyttttal situation. “It is often saifl thatmeifln policy is above the struggle for Mfry advantage. It is therefore all the mote significant that the narrowest margin by which the Government esOaOM defeat on ah international issue occurred during the debate on the sterling balance* agreement with Egypt. • “We in opposition were joined by a number of Socialist*. WO eontenOOd it was unacceptable that Britain should facilitate the supply of petroleum products to Egypt while Egypt continued to stop the Passage of our tanks through the Suez Canal. Meantrhile the refusal of thi* legitimate Brttith right oreveats the British-owned Matta refineries from functionin* pro~*rly. *• . ha ** be * n £20.000,000 annually in foreign earnitjig. All this on account of the actum of the Egyptian Government on whose behalf our Government now proposes to take step* to facilitate oil supplies. This is an unacceptable proposition to the British people. i« dangerous to ignore the political effects of economic concession* It seldom serve* the cause of peace to offer concessions to those Who ar* treating you unjustly in the hope that as a result they will treat you better. This applies particularly in the Middle East Situation as tense a* we have to face to-day. ■pie strategic defence Of that area is of first importance to the free world.”