NASSER “WANTS THINGS TO SETTLE DOWN”

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28701, 26 September 1958, Page 9

NASSER “WANTS THINGS TO SETTLE DOWN”

(Rec. 9 p.m.) CAIRO, September 2a. President Gamal Abdel Nasser of the United Arab Republic, in an interview with Russy Karandjia, editor of the Bombay English-language weekly “Blitz,” said that Arab nationalism had been “moving quicker than we expected.”

“In fact, the way events have been rushing has been the cause of some anxiety to us,” he said. ‘‘l have been accused of pushing and rushing things and instigating revolutions, but the truth is that Arab nationalism has been held back for so many centuries that now the gates have burst, the tide is rushing forward, and we cannot stop it. “We sincerely want the situation to settle down and things to return to normality so that we can attend to urgent political consolidation, economic stability, and internal productivity, but that is exactly what the Western Powers want to prevent.

‘‘Their purpose is continuously to divide and disrupt the area.” President Nasser said the Arabs were weak and under-developed and wished good relations witn the West on the terms of equality.

Of the Russians, he said: ‘‘l cannot recall a single incident where they have sought to exploit our difficulties.

‘‘Whatever their motives in giving us help, they appreciate we are an independent people. . . They always inform us of every action they propose to take in relation to our region, while the West has always acted independently and informed us after taking any action.”