The Press THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1959. Britain and Egypt

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29068, 3 December 1959, Page 16

The Press THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1959. Britain and Egypt

There will be general satisfaction that diplomatic relations between Britain and Egypt have been resumed. They were broken off at the time of Suez three years ago, and their restoration has been a slow and delicate process. When discussions over the Suez claims and over sequestrated British property ended in agreement last February, many took it for granted that resumption of diplomatic relations would automatically follow. Britain hoped that the property commission under a Foreign Office official set up by the agreement to work in Cairo would be transformed and enlarged into a diplomatic mission quite soon. President Nasser found some difficulty in grasping the olive branch—a difficulty largely of his own making. So roundly and indeed extravagantly had he and his propagandists condemned Britain, and so insistent had they been that Britain remained the chief villain in the Middle East, that it has been hard to explain to the Egyptian people why relations of any sort should be resumed. Recently it has been convenient for Cairo propagandists to conjure up for dissemination in the Arab world a picture of implacably imperial' Britain as the power behind

“ anti-Arab ” activities of General Kassem in Iraq. However, commercial Egypt has been finding lack of formal contacts with Britain more and more inconvenient. * Egypt has shown a liking for loans and credits from London, and it may well be that President Nasser has been pushed quite hard by the cotton community in Alexandria, which is anxious to recover its British markets. Resumption of diplomatic relations does not, of course, imply any movement of President Nasser towards the Western camp. But it is better to be on speaking terms with him. It is 4o be hoped that the step taken by Britain and Egypt will soon be taken also by Britain and Saudi Arabia. Relations between these two countries were broken off also at the time of Suez, and in this case resumption has been bedevilled by argument about the disputed Buraimi Oasis. The Saudi politicians have answered suggestions that diplomatic relations be resumed by asserting that the Buraimi question must be settled first. However, many have suspected that this was an excuse to avoid action that might be interpreted as “ anti-Arab ” by Cairo propagandists. The Saudis may now be disposed to normal dealings with Britain.