THE BLUE NILE DAM

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20252, 10 November 1927, Page 9

THE BLUE NILE DAM

POSITION CLEARED UP. BRITAIN MUST APPROVE. (British Official IJ’ireless.) (PreEß Association—By Telegraph—Copyright.) RUGBY, November 8. The position regarding the reports that an envoy of the Abyssinian Government had signed an agreement with an American engineering corporation for the construction of a dam across the waters of the Blue Nile at Lake Tsana, has been largely cleared by a statement made to the press by Dr Warngch Martin, the envoy concerned, who reached Liverpool yesterday from the United States. Dr Martin said that no contract or an agreement had been signed, and it was clearly understood that by reason of the Anglo-Abyssinian treaty of 1902, no such dam could be constructed without the approval of the British Government. QUESTION IN COMMONS. NO DIFFICULTIES EXPECTED. LONDON, November 8. In the House of Commons Sir Aucten Chamberlain informed a questioner that he had received reports stating that the Abyssinian Government had granted an American company a concession for the construction of a dam on the Blue Nile. At present there was no official information on the subject. ■ Such a concession would be a violation of the Anglo-Abys-sinian treaty of 1902, under which Abyssinia agreed not to allow a dam to be built without Britain’s consent. He was confident that Abyssinia was not unmindful of his obligation. Asked if the British and the Americans were to fight over the matter, Sir Austen Chamberlain said that he thought that this was a hypothetical question. He might, in the public interest, state that no question had arisen between Britain and the United States. He did not anticipate any Anglo-American difficulties.—A. and N.Z. and Sydney Sun Cable. SAFEGUARDING INTERESTS. STEPS TAKEN BY BRITAIN. (British Official Wireless.) (PreEß Association—By Telegraph—Copyright ) RUGBY, November 8. It is understood that during the visit of Sarwat Pasha to London the British Government has placed him in possession of information regarding the measures taken by it to safeguard the vital interests of Egypt and the Sudan in the waters of the Nile. - Sarwat left London this morning for Cairo. Sir Austen Chamberlain was at the station to bid him farewell. In a statement to the press, Sarwat said that the purpose of his visit had been to resume with the Foreign Secretary the conversations begun in July. He added: “ I cannot but be pleased’ by the spirit of cordiality which has been shown in them. I found on Sir Austen’s part the greatest readiness to arrive at a conciliation of Egyptian and English points of view. Whatever the result of our conversations may be as to eventual negotiations, I am sure that they will prove of the greatest help towards the establishment of a good understanding between the two countries.”