Evening star., 1947-08-08
The Anglo o-Eeyption Dispute

If the Anglo Egyptian treaty of 1885
Is still as valid as the British claim, the
Cairo government Is not likely to get very
far with its appeal to the United Nations
Security Council. Prime Minister NAH
moud FANNY Nokrashy Pasha. in an
11O00-word address to the Council. has
described the treaty as having outlived
it's purpose" But Sir Alexander Cadogan,
replying for Britain. has made the point
that expiration will not be due until 1856
and that II Egypt's argument were ac-
cepted, then the validity of any number
OF other olemn-internattonal agreements
would be placed in doubt.
The case presented by Sir Alexander
Is persuasive, the. more SO when read
against the overall background of the
dispute In the first place, 1t is difficult
to follow the Cairo governments claim
that the British position In Egypt and the
Sudan Is likely to menace the peace.
That position appears to be in full accord
with the treaty between the two countries,
and the record offers clear evidence of
Britain's conciliatory spirit during negotia-
ttons over the treatys revision-an effort
that broke down last January. Moreover,
1T is a. fact that the British have agreed to
withdraw their troops from Egyptian soil
and have largely done so already-an
action that seems very much at odds with
the charge that they are following less
than peaceful course.
Actually. assuming that the 1885 treaty
cannot be invalidated simply because the
Egyptians say it has "outlived It's purpose, Z"
Britain appears to be we'll within It's rights.
The treaty-drawn up on a twenty-year
basis, IN good faith and with q considerable
show OF enthusiasm by both sfdes-eoyerns
the status OF British troops both in Egypt
ana IN the so-called condominium of the
sudan. Since relatively only few such
troops remain in Egypt, however, Cairo's
appeal is aimed primarily at changing the
sudanese situation. What the appeal, seeks
Is to have the Security Council order the
Attlee government not merely to effect a
complete military withdrawal from the
entire region but to hand over to Egypt
sole control of the Sudan.
On the face Of things, this seems to be
asking for great deal. With it's 900 900
square miles and Its population of 1000. 900,
the Sudan involves questions as compli-
Gated as Its history. In the early nine
tenth century, it fell to the founder of
the present Egyptian dynasty, but later
the Sudanese rebelled and established their
own rule, only to be reconquered in 1899
by Britain, with Egypts help. It then be-
came the condominium of the two coun-
tries, though In practice the British have
exercised virtually full sway. AS of today.
the regions future vitality affects domestic
Egyptian politics. the nationalistic ele-
ments being insistent on its complete con-
troll by Cairo-a sentiment that has much
to do with the current appeal to the
Security Council
But the British, wholly apart from what
they consider to be their rights, hold that
the Sudan itself should have a voice in
deciding It's status, particularly because
many Sudanese are said to be opposed to
becoming part of Egypt. With the issue
still IN the debating stage before the
council, Cairo may yet come forward with
convincing answer to this and. with a
stronger case for invalidating the 1885
treaty. At the moment, though. Britain
seems to have the better of the argument