Bulganin’s Contention

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28128, 17 November 1956, Page 11

Bulganin’s Contention

These French sources drew attention to the Soviet Premier’s contention that the United Nations force should not be stationed in the Canal Zone but on either side of the 1948 armistice line between Israel and Egypt. Mr Hammarskjold, on his peace mission to Egypt, flew in a plane carrying 54 Colombian officers and men of the United Nations police force, the first 95 of whom were flown to Ismailia yesterday.

Another aircraft with Norwegian troops followed Mr Hammarskjold’s plane an hour later.

This statement, on the eve of the Cairo negotiations, is interpreted by some observers as a warning to President Nasser and Mr Hammarskjold against concluding an agreement on the, use of the police force which would permit garrisoning of the Canal Zone.

Marshal Bulganin supported a preference for withdrawal from Egypt of the international force immediately it had secured evacuation of the British and French troops. Yesterday, before leaving Italy for Egypt, Mr Hammarskjold consulted the United Nations force commander (Major-General E. L. M. Burns) during a three-hour stay in Rome. Last night the Secretary-General dined with the United States Naval Commander for the Middle East, Mediterranean and Indian Ocean (Admiral Walter F. Boon) and the American Commander of NATO Air Forces in Central Europe (Lieutenant-General Patrick Timberlake).

Jt is believed the two officers gave him an assessment of American air and naval strength in Europe and the Mediterranean. One thousand Russian tank ana aircraft technicians sent to the Sudan after the British and French attack on Egypt had been ordered back tc Egypt, newspapers reported today. British Government plans are taking shape for an economic reorientation and reorganisation of the Middle Eastern countries, once the present troubles are over, political quarters reported. Such a development, they said, would have to take the form of help —perhaps on the lines of the Colombo Plan —given under the auspices of the United Nations,