BRITISH TROOPS AND PLANES IN KUWAIT

Press, Volume C, Issue 29555, 3 July 1961, Page 11

BRITISH TROOPS AND PLANES IN KUWAIT

U.N. Security Council To Meet On Crisis (N -Z.P.ARent ei—Copyright > LONDON, July 2. The Kuwait crisis will go before an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council today as Britain continues what is officially described as “a vefy rapid build*up of military force” to meet any Iraqi threat. Members of the British Middle East Command staff and a number of specialists were leaving Aden for Kuwait today amid reports that troops were being flown into the area from Nairobi.

These moves follow the arrival in Kuwait yesterday of British Hawker Hunter jet fighters and the British commando carrier Bulwark with 600 Royal Marine commandos, more than 120 Dragoon Guards and 14 Centurion tanks. The British force is under the direction of New Zealand-born Air Marshal Sir Charles Elworthy. A stream of Brit’sh aircraft passed through Aden heading north last night and early today.

A Reuter special correspondent in Kuwait repined last night that a strict security net had been thrown round details of the British military build-up there. But driving across the sandy was:es between Kuwait and the oil refineries he saw tanks and armoured cars standing at a new airfield, and two Javelin jets were seen in toe area. The port of Shuwaith, three miles from toe town, was under heavy guard, but Kuwait town itself was normal, with shops open as usual. Authoritative sources in Kuwait said last night that they did not believe Iraqi forces had crossed the border. Earlier an announcement by the State’s Supreme Council said information had been received that Iraq was concentrating troops on toe frontier and preparing to attack. Bagdad Radio, however, denied that Iraqi troops were massing on the border, and said.lraq wanted to solve the “Kuwait problem” by peaceful means. KUWAIT'S COMPLAINT The Security Council meeting in New York today will consider an urgent complaint by Kuwait that threats against her territorial independence by Iraq are "likely to endanger toe maintenance of international peace and security.” Britain supported the request tor immediate consideration of the situation. Britain also sent a message to the United Nations SecretaryGeneral (Mr Hammarskjold), informing him of the movement of British troops. In Washington, the United 'States State Department said it believed Britain had acted "quite appropriately’’ in sending troops to Kuwait in the light of her obligations to toe State.

From Cape Town it was reported last night that five American warships, including two fast destroyers, had suddenly cancelled a five-day visit to Cape Town. The ships carry a force of 400 marines, and their change of plans was believed to have arisen from new developments in Kuwait.

In Cairo, a rally of 200 Kuwaiti students last night denounced “British imperaiist interventicn in the crisis fabricated by Kassem " NASSER’S VIEW

In Alexandria, an official statment issued after talks between President Nasser and the Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister (Sheikh Ibrahim al Sewayel) described the Kuwait crisis as being "in a dangerous phase ” The sheikh said afterwards that President Nasser was determined that the independence and sovereignty of Kuwait should be maintained The secretary-general of the Arab League (Mr Abdul Kaliq Hassouna) left Beirut yesterday for Bagdad. Kuwait °nd Saudi Arabia on a mission to mediate in toe Kuivait dispute.

The leader of the British Labour Party, Mr Gaitskell suggested at a party meetins at Bristol that the British troops in Kuwait should be replaced “as soon as possible” by United Nations forces. PRESS SUPPORT

British Sunday newspapers today generally backed the Government’s acton in sending troops to Kuwait, but cautioned that they should be kept in the background. The “Sunday Times” said: "Apart from our immensely important oil and financial riterests in Kuwait, we have nothing to be ashamed of in honouring our word, pledged onlv 10 day* a«ro in *he agreement which formalised Kuwaiti independence. to "assist the Government of Kuwait if the latter requests such assistance.”

■Hie “Sunday Express" said: "The hope must be that Kassem will not carry out his threats. But if he does, then this nation must be ready to fight. That is why there must be toe utmost support for the Government’s decision to send in troops.” Reuter reported that the official military spokesman in Bahrein said the build-up of British forces in Kuwait continued through the night. Operations continued in a strong wind and a sandstorm which, he said, was not hindering them but was “making things very unpleasant.”