NEW NOTE TO EGYPT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19891, 9 March 1928, Page 9

NEW NOTE TO EGYPT.

BRITAIN'S INTERESTS.

REALITIES OF SITUATION. WAFD ATTITUDE WRONG. BAR TO A SETTLEMENT. WISE LAWS ESSENTIAL.By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (British Official Wireless.) (Received March 8. G. 5 p.m.) A. and N.Z. RUGBY. March 7. In a despatch' to Lord Lloyd, British Commissioner in Egypt, dated March 1, Sir Austen Chamberlain, Foreign Secretary, referred to a report as to his conversation with Nahas Pasha, Leader of the Wafd Party. The latter had stated that he felt it would be useless to discuss what advantages tho various clauses of the proposed treaty would havo for Egypt, as the instrument in question failed to provide for the complete evacuation of Egypt by British troops.

Sir Austen said Nahas Pasha seemed to be no more inclined to recognise the realities of tho situation than did Zaghlul Pasha four years ago, when Mr. Ramsay MacDouald, then Prime Minister of Britain, made it clear that no British Government, in the light of the experience of the late war, could divest itself wholly, even in favour of an ally, of its interest in guarding such a vital link in British communications as the Suez Canal, and that security must be a feature of any agreement.

It was the recognition by Sarwat Pasha, ex-Prime Minister of Egypt, of these realities which made it possible to negotiate thG draft treaty, and it was the refusal of Nahas Pasha to recognise them which would again make a settlement impossible. When the draft treaty -was rejected Sir Austen authorised Lord Lloyd to send the following Note to the Egyptian Government : "The British Government has for some time past viewed with misgiving certain legislative proposals introduced in the Egyptian Parliament which, if they were to become law, would be likely seriously to weaken the hands of the administrative authorities responsible for the maintenance of order and for tho protection of life and property in Egypt. So long as there was any prospect of an early conclusion of a treaty of alliance, which would define the new responsibilities and rights of tho two parties, the British Government was content to refrain from all comment, in the expectation that it might rely with confidence on the Egyptian Government to pass legislation which might make it possible for the Egyptian Administration to discharge successfully its increased responsibilities.

"But now that tho conversations with the Egyptian Government have failed, the British Government cannot permit the transfer of any of its responsibilities under the declaration of February 28, 1922, to an agreement, whether by Egyptian legislation of the nature indicated, or by administrative action, and it reserves the right to take such steps as in its view the situation may demand." The White Paper concludes with the terms of the Egyptian Government's rejection of the draft treaty which showed that it was rejected on the plea that it would legalise tho occupation of Egypt by British forces.

BRITISH ATTITUDE. INSISTENCE ON RIGHTS. NATIVE PAPERS' COMMENTS. A. and N.Z.-Sun. CAIRO, March 7. The Cairo newspapers have published (he text of the British Noto to Egypt. This states that Britain will not tolerate tho introduction of laws which would hamper <he administration of Egypt and hinder Britain in defending the interests and security of foreigners. In this connection the Nolo cites the abrogation of the law dealing with public assemblies, which was repealed by tlio Egyptian Government. Britain insists upon the maintenance of her control of the Egyptian Army and of British officers in that

army. The native newspapers describe as a grave featue of the British Note the vetoing of the repeal of the Public Assemblies Act on tho ground that its repeal weakened tho authority of the Executive to maintain order and protect foreigners. It transpires that the veto was prepared some tirno ago, but had been withheld in order not to prejudice the treaty discussions. Britain reserves the right to fulfil her obligations toward foreigners. The newspapei Alsiassah emphasises the tenderness of the position and remarks upon how necessary it is that everybody should weigh their actions. It appeals to students to refrain from making demonstrations and to leave the right men to handle the crisis.

Nahas Pasha, leader of the Wafd Party, read a timely lesson to a militant deputation ot students. They were told it was their business to keep out of the streets and not to meddle in public affairs. This was rather a cold douche on the old Wafdist method of utilising the students to stir up trouble. CAPITULATORY EIGHTS. CONFERENCE TO BE HELD. REPRESENTATION OF BRITAIN. A. and N.Z.-Sun. LONDON. March 7. In the House of Commons tho UnderSecretary for Foreign Affairs, Mr. G. Locker-Lam psoii, said the Government had been invited to send representatives to a conference of the capitulatory Powers, which is to be held at Cairo .on a date not yet fixed, to consider the question of capitulatory rights Tho British representatives would probably be the High Commissioner in Egypt, Lord Lloyd, and a Judge of the British Appeal Coilrt.