Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-27
Egypt Accepts
Arms Offered
By Russians
Britain. Informed
Of Action, Will Talk
Ii Over With y. S.
BULLETIN

ain declared today in a joint
statement that their policy on
the sale OF arms to the Middle
East is aimed at helping coun-
tries with their own defense
and internal security and they
hope other countries in selling
arms will be guided by these
same principles.
The statement was issued
after Secretary Of State Dulles
and British Foreign Minister
Harold Macmillan conferred
on the Middle East arms situ-
alton.
LONDON. Sept. ~ (Pl-Egypt
has informed Britain that she
has accepted a Russian offer to
supply her with arms and mill
tary equipment. the Foreign
Once said today.
Foreign Secretary Harold Mac
milan win discuss this develop
ment with United States Secre-
tary of State Dulles during their
meeting now taking place in
New York, q spokesman told the
daily Foreign Once news con-
ference.
tAmerican officials were
sharply disappointed by re-
ports that Egypt has accepted
the Russian offer.
There was no immediate
comment from the State De-
partment.
UNITED States officials were
known to have been hoping
strongly that the Egyptians
would spurn the secret Soviet
offer, regarded in Washington
as a thinly disguised Soviet
effort to gain additional in
fluence within the Arab
world.)
The United States, Britain and
France are bound under q 1850
declaration to maintain the mill
tary balance of power--and to
prevent an outright arms race
between the Arab countries Of
the Middle East and the state Of
Israel.
Ambassador Informed
The Foreign once spokesman
said in answer to q question:
"Our ambassador tSir Hum
phrey Trevelyam) was told by
the Egyptian government last
night that it has accepted the
Russian offer to supply arms.
"The Secretary of State
tMacmilian) will discuss both
the Russian offer and the
Egyptian acceptance Of it with
the American Secretary of State
in New York"
The spokesman said he could
not give the precise nature OF
Russia's offer or Of the arrange
ment which Egypt has accepted.
British officials said they as
sumed that French Foreign Min
lister Antoine Pinay will be
brought into the discussion be-
tween Mr.. Macmillan and Mr..
Dulles In New York. All three
are attending the United Nations
Assembly and are preparing for
the Big -Four Foreign ministers
conference in Geneva next
month.
The Big Three Western powers
will reconsider their own policy
of supplying Egypt in the light
of Russia's entry into the Middle
East scene, the British officials
said.
The United States, Britain and
France have been guided in their
arms delivery to the Arab coun-
tries by their joint declaration
Of 1850.
In practice this has meant that
they have tried to maintain a
military balance Of power be-
tween the Jewish State of Israel
and its Arab neighbors.
The Arab countries. including
Egypt, are still technically at war
with Israel, although in a state
If armistice.
Follows u. 8. Offer
The Foreign Office spokes-
mans disclosure came only "a
hours after the State DEPART
ment confirmed that the United
States had offered to sell wea-
pons to the Egyptians. The State
Department said that agree
ments for arms aid to Mideast-
ern countries are solely for the
purpose of enabling these coun-
tries to maintain internal Sc
curly and to defend themselves
against aggression"