Sadat attacks U.S. ‘for deception’

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32715, 18 September 1971, Page 17

Sadat attacks U.S. ‘for deception’

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright} CAIRO, September 17. President Anwar Sadat, displaying growing exasperation with the pace of American peace moves, called for prompt action by the Big Four Powers and the United Nations Security Council to settle the Middle East crisis.

The President told the Egyptian nation over television last night that Egypt had waited long enough to get the Israelis out of Sinai. Now, it was time for action.

He declared that he was ready to sacrifice one million people to liberate Egyptian territory if necessary, and added: “The United States should tell its friends in Israel that if this situation comes about they must be ready to lose a million people too.”

The President bitterly attacked the United States, saying it had failed to contact Cairo for over two months about moves for an interim settlement reopening the Suez Canal.

Instead, it had “resorted to the policy of deception,” he said, and had even given the Soviet Union the impression that Egypt was ready to conclude an interim agreement. This was absolutely untrue, and there was no such agreement, he said. President Sadat proposed urgent action at the coming United Nations General Assembly in New York. “The Big Four (United States, the Soviet Union, Britain and France) must face up to their responsibilities and the Security Council must assume its responsibilities.” He called for a report by the Secretary-General (U Thant) on the present situation.

The United Nations envoy, Dr Gunnar Jarring, must also present a definition of the positions of Egypt and Israel towards a settlement, he said. The Security Council should meet at foreign minister level to debate the crisis.

"We have waited for a long time, and our intentions have been good. But everything has its limits,” he said. He did not say at what stage Egypt planned to request die Security Council meeting, remarking only that the Foreign Minister (Mr Mahmoud Riad) was due to fly to New York in a few days and had full instructions.

President Sadat’s complaints about the United States echoed talks he and Mr Riad had earlier this week

with the British Foreign Secretary (Sir Alec DouglasHome). The British Foreign Secretary counselled further patience. But it is becoming obvious that the Egyptians have all but abandoned hope in American peace efforts. Sir Alec Douglas-Home also suggested at a press conference that Big Four action was now needed on the crisis. President Sadat, in his speech again took a hard line on the question of Israeli withdrawal. He said that it must be 100 per cent, and he warned anyone talking of special arrangements for strategic points like Sharm elSheikh, at the entrance of the Tiran Straits, that these were “day-dreams.” Nor, he made it clear, I would any Israeli ship sail through the Suez Canal until every Israeli soldier was re--1 moved from Arab territory.