INTENTIONS OF SOVIET

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28057, 27 August 1956, Page 11

INTENTIONS OF SOVIET

U.S. Officials Concerned

(N.Z Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, August 25 Top United States officials were reported to be concerned today over signs that the Soviet Union might be deliberately trying to block a negotiated settlement with Egypt on future operation of the Suez Canal. The Soviet role in the Suez crisis is one of the problems the Secretary of State (Mr John Foster Dulles) is bringing back today from the 22nation Suez conference in London which ended on Thursday. State Department officials in advance of his arrival said they knew of no plans for Mr Dulles to make a nation-wide broadcast, as he sometimes has done on returning from abroad. Officials said also they did not think he would make a special trip to report to President Eisenhower, who is on holiday in California. Mr Eisenhower is due back in Washington early next week. “Wait for Move” In Cairo. Colonel Nasser told the Indonesian Foreign Minister (Mr Ruslan Abdulgani) that he would wait for the West’s next move before deciding whether to call an expanded canal conference of his own. Mr Abdulgani was the first participant in thfe London conference to report to Colonel Nasser. A United Press report from Cairo, quoting informed sources, said President Nasser might seek to stall off action in the Suez crisis until he could meet his Arab neighbours to cement a firm and united stand. It said that the sources said Colonei Nasser probably would agree to meet a five-Power delegation from the London Suez conference but probably would postpone any negotiating session until after the Arab League Council met. A top-level Arab League meeting was scheduled “soon” in Beirut tc discuss the London conference. Colonel Nasser was considered almost certain to go to Beirut for the meeting which could be called early next week—a move that would make n impossible for him to attend an early meeting with the Suez Canal Committee.

In spite of this, Government sources said, Colonel Nasser is ready to talk with the Suez Canal committee, partly because Egypt stood in full agreement with many of the principles expressed at the London conference—insulating the canal from international and domestic politics and guaranteeing freedom of passage. Colonel Nasser was reported to be most anxious to avoid any act which could result in charges that he was unyielding and uncompromising. But at the same time, he would nut give in on the basic principle of Egyptian control of a waterway ihal passed wholly through Egyptian territory, the sources said. Egyptian sources said Colonel Nasser was not likely to be propagandised by the Soviet Union or any other foreign Power into a “disruptive” attitude towards the Suez crisis. The mood of Egypt remained quiei but determined, in spite of the British and French military manoeuvres that Egypt believed were designed to intimidate Arab public opinion.