Sadat asks for end to pact with Russia

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34103, 16 March 1976, Page 17

Sadat asks for end to pact with Russia

(Nete Zealand Frees Association—Copyright)

CAIRO, March 15.

President Sadat of Egypt has asked the People’s Assembly to nullify the country’s 15-year treaty of friendship and co-operation with the Soviet Union, largely because Moscow has refused to supply arms and spare parts for the Egyptian armed forces. The arms Egypt lost during the war with Israel in October, 1973, have not been replaced by Russia.

Political observers say that although the President’s draft measure requires discussion in Parliament and formal approval, there is not the slightest doubt that it will be passed by' an overwhelming majority.

President Sadat’s request came at the end of a long policy speech delivered two weeks before he sets out on a tour of West Germany, Italy, and France.

There were wild cheers and thunderous applause as the 360 Assembly members rose as one in a standing ovation which almost drowned the President’s words as he

was reading out his proposed draft law, which would formally seal Egypt’s turn from dependence on the Soviet Union to increasingly closer ties with the United States and Western Europe.

The Soviet Union was Egypt’s main source of military and economic aid for more than two decades, but relations plunged almost to freezing point when President Sadat ordered about 20,000 Russian military advisers out of Egypt in July, 1972. ‘I will not bow’

“In a year to 18 months, all the weapons in Egypt will be mere scrap,” Mr Sadat told the Assembly. “The Russians are putting Egypt under intense economic and military pressure, but I will not bow ” The President’s personallydrafted law, which would cancel the treaty signed in May, 1971, at Moscow’s request, was later deposited with the Assembly’s secretariat for quick action.

The President’s action culminated several years of worsening relations between Egypt and the Soviet Union, centred on what Mr Sadat said was Moscow’s unwilling, ness to supply new weapons

or to reschedule Egypt’s debts.

Egypt is reported to owe the Soviet Union s4ooom and other debts. “They even demanded that I pay the interest on the military debts, even though it is common for war debts to be cancelled,” Mr Sadat complained. “In view of all this, the treaty has become only a scrap of paper. I propose to the Assembly that it agrees to a draft law cancelling the treaty.” Mr Sadat had saved his bombshell announcement for the very end of his threehour speech, in which he dealt also with political reforms in Egypt and the present disunity in the Arab world.

The Supreme Soviet Presidium Chairman (Mr Nikolai Podgomy) rushed to Egypt in May, 1971, to seek a friendship and co-operation treaty with the then six-month-old Sadat regime, shortly after the Egyptian leader had taken firm action against pro-Russian factions in Egypt. President Sadat agreed to sign after Mr Podgorny had promised new arms, and the two leaders affixed their signatures on May 27.