REACTION IN EGYPT

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27038, 13 May 1953, Page 9

REACTION IN EGYPT

Britain Called “Aggressor” (Rec. 8.30 p.m.) CAIRO. May 12. General Naguib today reacted to Mr Winston Churchill's speech of into night, when he called Britain “a* aggressor and not a defender of th* free world.” The Suez Canal military base with its 80,000. British troops was ’/besieged/* he said. “The defence of the Middle East la primarily an Arab concern and responsibility. The Suez Canal base without the co-operation of Egyptians is useless. "Britain cannot force the Egyptians to co-operate so long as she continues to be an aggressor.” General Naguib said he wanted to remind Sir Winston Churchill that the Suez Canal base was built by Egyptian labour, defended during the last war by Egyptian troops, and supplied with Egyptian-grown foodstuffs. “Sir Winston Churchill claimed that Britain defended the interests of the free world, but may I ask him does the defence of the free world necessitate enslavement of a whole nation? “It would have here been better If Sir Winston Churchill controlled hill nerves when he spoke of the present Egyptian Government. ''But I excuse him because he is today confronted with a free and stronf government, united with ttfe Egyptian people and with the Arab and Moslem peoples. "In the past it was possible for him to fool around with Egyptian governments using the corrupted monarchy as a tool for dismissing and forming Egyptian governments to the whims of thes Imperialists. It is not so today,'* that maintaining British troops in the General Naguib. Canal 2k>ne. They cannot defend the Middle East in case of war.” Base Held “Ueeless” General Naguib said that the canal mams people and against t‘ie will of toe Arao and Moslem peoples. Chechin ’ knet that the* abrogated a Britain did not respect the provisions of the abrogated treaty, but maintained in the Canal Zone 80,000 tgdiera—eight times as many as provided for in the abrogated treaty; She did not keep a single one of her 70 promises in the years of the occupation of Egypt. Once Sir Winston Churchill said his troops were defending a vital waterway to the British Empire. Now he claims they are there on behalf of the free world. Does Sir Winston Churchill consider his attitude against the legal and legitimate rights of Egypt constitutes a contribution to the defence of we interest of the free world?” Defence of the Middle East by the means Sir Winston Churchill suggested was impossible. “I say thaTthe defence of the Middle East is possible only if it is done with the co-opera-tion of the completely Independent nations of the area. “We are in the twentieth centtny, not the nineteenth. Does Sir Winston Churchill believe that there Is a nation which can co-operate with those who rob her of freedom? Does he think such a nation can be forced to co-operate?”