NASSER’S AIMS

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28133, 23 November 1956, Page 21

NASSER’S AIMS

“Not Pawn Of Any Power”

DENIAL OF ARAB EMPIRE PLAN

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) .NEW YORK, November 21. President Nasser declared today he never would become the pawn of any Power, the American Associated Press reported from Cairo. Egypt was determined to maintain both political and ideological independence, he said. “I vow I will not become the stooge or satellite or pawn or hireling of anybody.” Egypt would remain free of all foreign ideologies “such as Marxism, Fascism, racism. colonialism, imperialism and atheism, all of which incidentally are European in origin,” the statement said. President Nasser pledged himself to international co-operation and proposed expanding the scope of international law to meet the needs of “the complex modern world.” Denying he was trying to create an Arab empire or trying to dominate such an empire. President Nasser said: “The concept of Arab imperialism is foreign fiction or foreign propaganda.” Declaring his country’s independence of both eastern and western blocs. President Nasser said: “The policy of Egypt is the policy of ”ational independence. Egypt and the Egyptians value this independence more than life itself. . . . Just as Egypt is determined to have political independence, so also Egypt is determined to have and to maintain ideological independence.” Parallel with this emphasis on national independence. President Nasser spoke of a need for international co-operation. “Egypt is profoundly aware of the necessity of the co-operation of nations,” he said. “Situated in one of the historic crossroads of the world, Egypt could not lack this awareness. Egypt desires to cooperate—an honourable co-operation —with other countries. Concretely and specially, Egypt stands for international law. “Like all other nations, Egypt has a special fellow feeling for those nations who share its cultural traditions and for those former colonial nations In a similar phase of transition to independence, democracy and economic progress. But the idea of trying to create an Arab empire or of attempting to dominate such an empire is repugnant to Egypt and to me. “But each Arab nation cherishes its integrity just as Egypt does. The concept of Arab imperialism is foreign fiction or foreign propaganda based on ignorance or worse.” President Nasser named as his government’s basic objective, “a radical improvement in the economic and social condition of the Egyptian people as a free and independent nation.” “It is to this purpose.” he said, “that I desire to concentrate the energies of my government. But that cannot be the case till certain highly inflammable problems are solved. I call upon all governments of the world and upon every man

and woman of good will to join in a serious effort to achieve a just and honourable solution of these problems.”