Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-25
|Nasser Offer
|0f Guarantees
On Suez Seen
Moy Suggest Poets
Assuring Cunul
Will Be Kept Open

LONDON, Aug. 20 HJ.-EBypCI
was reported prepared today to
offer maritime powers treaty
guarantees of unimpeded
shipping through the Suez Canal.
Diplomatic sources in Cairo
said President Canal Abdel Mas
ser would offer the guarantees
singly or collectively to nations
using the canal-aS counter
proposal to the demand of Is
nations for Decentralization
of the Suez.
These sources said the offer
probably would be outlined in
Col. Nasser's reply to the five
nation Suez Canal committee.
The committee was delegated
to tell the Egyptian President
the majority Of nations at this
weeks London Suez conference
want an international board to
take over management Of the
vital waterway.
Menzies Sends Invitation
Australia's Prime Minister
Robert G. Menzies, committee
chairman, delivered an invita-
ton for Col. Nasser to meet with
the committee to the Egyptian
Embassy here last night. He
said he hoped for a quick reply
and would remain available for
a phone call.
There still was no official in
dication in Cairo on whether
Col. Nasser would agree to re-
ceive the committee. The COM
mittee was ready to meet him
in Cairo or anywhere else he
suggests.
Beneath the surface calm
there was a feeling Of weighten-
ing tension in the Egyptian cap
| ital.
The Cairo diplomatic sources
predicted Col. NaSser's reply
would fatty reject the proposal
from Is of the % nations at
the just-concluded London con-
ference for decentralization
of the Suez. But his counterpro-
posal, they said, would leave
the door open for negotiation.
IndOnesian Optimistic
Indonesian Foreign Minister
Russian Abdulghani, who repre-
scented his country at the London
conference, emerged from a 90
minute talk with Col. Nasser and
said he was "still optimistic" over
the chances for peaceful settle
ment.
ANff. Abdtflghanf said the pos
sibility of a 45-natiola conference
lon Suez navigation guarantees
was among the subjects he and
Col. Nasser discussed. Col. Mas
ser had suggested q bigger con-
ference of all the users of the
Suez Canal in rejecting the
Western Big Three's invitation
/ to the London conference.
THE calls for use of force
which were heard in the early
days of the conference have
faded into the background and
the desire for peace has come
to the FORE" Mr.. Abdulghani
said.
Before meeting Col. Nasser,
the Indonesian Minister said he
would try to impress on the
Egyptian leader 1.-THE concilia-
tory spirit" Of the London con-
ference, including the 10 nations
demanding internationalizAtion.
Sabry's Return Awaited
| Indonesia, Russia, India and
Ceylon were the conference
minority who offered a substi-
tute plan for continued Egyptian
control of the canal but with an
international advisory board
powerleSs to enforce its recon-
mendations.
1t was considered unlikely
Col. Nasser would make any re-
ply to the committee until he
had conferred with the observer
he sent to London during the
conference. Wing Comdr. Ali
Sabry.
Comdr. Sabry. chief political
aide to Col. Nasser. left London
by plane for Cairo. He said he
did not know how Col. Nasser
would react to the invitation to
open negotiations.
Egypt, meanwhile, sought to
hire pilots in West Germany tc
guide conveys through the canal
"A score or more pilots on home
leave have not returned since
Col. Nasser seized the canal July
. See SUEZ, Page Az