BRITAIN AND EGYPT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23109, 6 August 1938, Page 15

BRITAIN AND EGYPT

TREATY AMENDED COST OF DEFENCES AN EQUAL DIVISION British Wireless RUGBY, August 4 An official report regarding the talks between representatives of Egypt and Britain states: — " Conversations have taken place with the Egyptian Prime Minister, Mahmoud Pasha, regarding certain financial provisions of the Egyptian Treaty of Alliance of 1936 with Britain. " Mahmoud Pasha represented that the. cost to Egypt of providing the accommodation required under the provisions of the treaty concerned turned out to he greatly in excess of the estimate formed at the time of the signature of the treaty. "An agreement was initialled to-day, of which tho principal effect will be that Britain agrees to raise her contribution to one-half of the cost of construction of accommodation for land and air forces, water and electric supplies, amenities and a convalescent camp and dwellings for the civilian personnel and for the British forces." The agreement, which was initialled by the Foreign Secretary, Viscount Halifax, and Mahmoud Pasha, will, after signature, be the subject of ratification by the Egyptian and British Parliaments, and will be published later as a White Paper. Mahmoud Pasha has left for Egypt. It is believed that the total involved is £12,000,00.0, of which Britain will now pay half.