Evening star., 1954-08-08

economically from restoration Of its
oil industry under operation Of an
international group. Loss Of reve-
nue. from this source has resulted
during the past three years in sus-
pension of all but the most vital
Of government services. Since Pre-
n1ier zahedi replaced DR. MoSsadegh,
however, there has been sufficient
political equilibrium to permit nego-
tiation of the oil settlement. There
should be even greater stability now.
AS 1t has done in the past, the
Teheran government again has adj
vised Moscow it will do as it pleases
about guarding its own security.
Already receiving American military
aid, Iran may be drawn eventually
into association with the Turkish
Pakistani alliance.
lroq and Arobio
Two brother Arab states, Irau and
Saudi Arabia. warrant close observa-
ton currently.
The former, drawing comfortable
and assured income from develop
ment Of its oil resources by the
internationally owned Iraq Petro-
leum Co., is posing challenge to
Egypt as the leader Of the Arab
bloc. One bloc of Iraqi opinion feels
that this leadership should be as
serted now; another feels that time
and the oil revenues will guarantee
that leadership with less trouble
In the future. American military
aid was promised to Iraq last spring.
Britain has military base rights In
1raq under q treaty running until
1857 and the RAF has one Of its
major Middle East installations at
Habbaniyah, near Baghdad.
There is strong leftist political
movement centered in Baghdad,
however, and its nuisance quality''
Is such that the British-Iraqi treaty
may be endangered. Nuri al-Said,
veteran leader Of the conservative
Constitutional Union Party, became
Premier last week for the 18th time.
Although he has been pro-British
throughout most of his long career.
he processes to favor a policy now
OF ending the British-I -Iraqi military
relationship. Observers here do not
feel, however, that the Western po-
sitlon in 1raq is threatened seriously.
Ailments and Complexes
Saudi Arabia is suffering from a
variety of ailments and complexes.
The death of King Ibn Saud left
the country without the strong and
forceful control which he had ex-
ercised. The new King Saud, who
had talked as Crown Prince Of his
intent to initiate a modern budg-
etary system and greater social re-
forms, has drifted uncertainty.
A bitter dispute has developed
with Britain over sovereignty in the
Buraimi area on the Persian Gulf.
The uncertainty of boundaries on
the peninsula left a question as to
whether the region was an inde-
pendent sheikhdom or was properly
part Of Saudi Arabia. The collat-
eral question was whether the oil
rights came under the Arabian
American concession, or could be
claimed by Britain. British geolo-
gists have been exploring the area.
The fact that our own Government
has not backed Saudi Arabian claims
has piqued the King. Arbitration
has now been agreed on, but the
Riyadh government is not pleased
either with Britain or the United
States.
The old family rivalry between
the Sauds and the ruling Hashemite
family of Iraq has flared again and
relations between the two Arab
countries are strained. AS the same
time. King Saud has leaned closer
to Egypt and is making a deter
mined bid for stronger ties to
Jordan.
Syria and Lebanon currently are
more preoccupied with internal prob.
lens than with foreign policy. The
former has another general election
scheduled this month, but on Friday
a postponement until September "a
was decreed. The Syrian Army re-
mains intact as political force.