FAILURE OF CONFERENCE

Taranaki Daily News, 10 May 1930, Page 9

FAILURE OF CONFERENCE

ANGLO-EGYPTIAN PROBLEMS

IMPASSE OVER THE SOUDAN

FRIENDLINESS OF PARTIES

By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. London, May 8.

The Anglo-Egyptian conference has broken down, the Sudan problem having proved insurmountable. The negotiators were friendly: at parting, and mutually agreed that the door had been left open for a resumption of negotiations when the atmosphere was more favourable.

Nahas Pasha, the Egyptian Premier, stated that he grieved at the failure. There was nothing he wanted more than to be »n good terms with the British. Milkram Bey, the Egyptian Finance Minister, said it was very regrettable that the negotiations had been broken off, adding: ‘“We cannoh sign a treaty signing away the Sudan.”

Mr. A. Henderson in the House of Commons announced the failure of the conference amid Opposition cheers and Ministerial cries of “Shame” and “Disgraceful.” ' Messrs Wilford and Casey throughout, the Weary negotiations both diligently watched Antipodean interests. “In spifte- of the most sincere and friendly efforts on both sides the negotiations have failed, his Majesty’s Government not having seen its way to meet the demands of the Egyptian delegation in regard to the Sudan,” said 'Mr. Henderson. “I shall very shortly lay before the House a white paper dealing with the negotiations.” POSITION MEAN-WHILE. . Asked whether the status quo was meanwhile maintained on the four reserved points Mr. Henderson replied that that must be the inevitable result of the failure of the negotiations. Four points were reserved by Great Britain in the declaration of 1922 for future settlement. They were the protection of Egypt from foreign aggression, the ■protection of residents and minorities in Egypt and the Sudan. The recent negotiations arose out of the proposals '' for' an Anglo-American treaty settling 1 outstanding points, which were ! made by 'Mr. Henderson last August, after conversations in London with MahmOud Pasha, who was then Prime Minister of Egypt. Mr. Henderson in a covering note described the proposals as representing the extreme limit which he could recommend the British Government to accept. The present Egyptian Premier, Nahas Pasha, with his delegation came to London at the end of March to conduct negotia- • tiqns on the. basis, of these proposals. After his brief ..announcement in -the House of Commons the Foreign Secretary, who had postponed his intended departure this morning for Paris and Geneva, caught the afternoon boat train to the Continent. The Egyptian delegation is expected ito leave London to-morrow. Although the discussions failed to produce an agreement they were conducted throughout in an extremely amicable spirit. It is understood that so far as the questions relating to Egypt were concerned an agreement had actually been rcach- ’ ed, or was well within sight upon all the points at issue.

BRITISH IN EGYPT RELIEVED.

OFFICIAL ATTITUDE CRITICISED.

Rec. 8.5 p.m. London, May 9. The Daily Telegraph is of opinion that there is no present .possibility of coming to reasonable.. terms with the Government of the Wafd. By attempting it Mr. Henderson merely courted a rebuff. “The Egyptian attitude in London saved us from the incredible blunder of contemplating a, time limit to our military guardianship over the Suez Canal and other concessions which were made provisional to a full settlement, adds the paper. The Morning Post asks, “Has Mr. Henderson no pride? It would be moie appropriate to the great office he holds if instead of saying the door Was still open he had told the delegates that Britain would now return to the position occupied before 1922. We tried a concession surrender; it failed. Let us return to firmness, which has succeeded.” A Cairo message says 'the British community is relieved by the collapse of the negotiations. It had feared the concessions.