Defence Talks In Egypt: Report ‘Without Sanction’

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 June 1950, Page 5

Defence Talks In Egypt: Report ‘Without Sanction’

DARWIN, This Day (Rec. 1 p;m.). —The Chief of the Imperial General Staff, Sir William Slim at first refused to comment on the Cairo report that he had said war was certain but later issued a statement as follows: “I went to Egypt for defence talks. I made no statement whatever to any Egyptian or other newspaper about the defence talks in Egypt. I have no idea whether the Egyptian Com-mander-in-Chief, Haidar Pasha, made any statement.. As far as I am aware no other person in any official position made any statement to any newspaper. Any statement alleging what I said is without official sanction.” The Egyptian newspaper, Akbar El Yom, reported an alleged conversation between Haidar Pasha and Sir WiJJiam Slim in which Sir William allegedly said war was certain and if it broke out it would take Russian armies four months to reach Egypt. The Chief of the New Zealand General Staff, Major-General K. Stewart, arrived at Darwin by air from London last night and left later for Sydney and New Zealand. He attended the Commonwealth and Western Union conference of service chiefs called by Sir William Slim. Major-General Stewart will be in New Zealand to welcome Sir William Slim when he arrives on his official visit after completion of his Australian tour.