Suez Canal U.A.R. OFFERS CLEARANCE

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32524, 6 February 1971, Page 15

Suez Canal U.A.R. OFFERS CLEARANCE

(N.Z. Press Association—Copy right) CAIRO, February 5. Egypt today went into a new 30-day cease-fire along the Suez Canal with an offer to start clearing the blocked waterway immediately in return for a partial Israeli withdrawal—but said that this was a last chance for peace.

President Sadat announced that he was prolonging the six-month-old military standstill after an appeal by United Nations Secre-tary-General (U Thant) and urgent efforts by Security Council members.

He announced the decision to the National Assembly hours before the existing cease-fire ran out at midnight last night as Egyptian forces stood at high alert along the canal—the scene last year of bitter clashes with Israel. President Sadat, at the same time, proposed that the Israelis, entrenched on the other side of the 100-mile long waterway since the June, 1967 war, should start pulling out during the month. In return, he said, Egypt would start clearing the canal for international shipping. In Tel Aviv, Israel greeted with reserved satisfaction the Egyptian decision to renew the cease-fire and the Prime Minister (Mrs Golda Meir) saw it as a green signal for the Jarring peace talks to go on.

To the man in the street, the Egyptian announcement last night brought a general sense of relief.

A public opinion poll taken recently showed that most people did not believe that the fighting would be resumed, and though the standstill renewal is only for a limited period they were pleased. I No formal Israeli announcement on prolonging the ceaseIfire was immediately forth-

coming, but Mrs Meir said that she hoped that the peace talks under the United Nations special envoy, Dr Gunnar Jarring, would continue beyond March 7. Speaking to trade union leaders in Tel Aviv, she also invited Arab leaders to meet Israel at the conference table for quiet discussions “without threats and ultimatums.”