SUEZ CANAL DISPUTE
Talks May Be Reopened (N.Z. Press Assentation—Copyright) (Rec. 9.50 p.m.) LONDON, July 18. General Sir Brian Robertson, joint leader of the British delegation to the now suspended British and Egyptian negotiations on the Suez Canal base, is returning to Cairo tomorrow to hold himself in readiness for a possible resumption of the talks.
The British Foreign Office, announcing this today, refused to confirm or deny Egyptian press reports that General Robertson would be taking with him new British proposals to settle the dispute. Earlier negotiations were left in a deadlock last May, over Britain’s insistence that she must control the technicians who, after the withdrawal “te British garrison, are to maintarn the Suez Canal base for an emergency. The initiative for what looks like an early resumption of the talks is not clear.
Britain has said that she is willing to take up the negotiations again, but that she expects the first move to come from Cairo.
She maintains her demand that Egypt must submit to some outside control of the upkeep of the base if the valuable installations there are to be kept in an effective state of readiness.
In the recent, talks in Washington between Lord Salisbury, the actingBritish Foreign Secretary, and Mr Dulles, the American Secretary of State, the common British and American view on this principle emerged unimpaired. Although the United States is avoiding the role of mediator, the known American anxiety to get the talks restarted may be behind the current diplomatic activity.
Egypt’s leading newspapers, “Al Ahram’’ and “Al Misri,’’ reported earlier that General Robertson would return to Cairo with a new British proposal for a settlement of the canal problem. “Al Ahram” said the proposal had been formulated in the light of the recommendations of the Foreign Ministers’ conference in Washington.
Food for Troops Reuter’s correspondent at Cairo says that Salah Salem, the Egyptian
Minister of National Guidance, said on Friday night that steps were being taken to stop the present limited amount of Egyptian produce reaching British troops in the Canal Zone, after the recent trouble over the disappearance of a Royal Air Force man in Ismailia.
Major Salem said that but for the Egyptian population in the area, fresh water to the Canal Zone would have been cut off during the last week. Asked why the British forces had received Egyptian produce, Major Salem said that since last July’s coup the new regime had made arrangements to supply provisions on a basis of only 10.000 men being stationed there, in accordance with the 1936 Anglo-Egyptian Treaty. Major Salem declared he had asked the commander-in-chief of the armed forces to open arms depots to supply arms to volunteers. Asked why the Egyptian Government did not lift restrictions on carrying arms. Major Salem said: “We fear that certain elements in the pay of the imperialists might take advantage of such a step to cause trouble.’’
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Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27096, 20 July 1953, Page 9
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485SUEZ CANAL DISPUTE Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27096, 20 July 1953, Page 9
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