Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-23
Poland Traiininc
Egyptian Men,
Britain Claims
Instruction Is Said
To Include Rodor,
Subs and Artillery

SuOS QIIQ NttIIiCBy
LONDON. Mar. % (P.-TheI
Foreign Office said today Britain
has received secret reports that
"a considerable number" Of
Egyptians are under military
training in Poland.
A spokesman told reporters
the British government places
reliance on these reports" but
he would not disclose their
source. He said the matter will
be taken into account in deter
mination of Britain's Middle
Eastern policies.
British informants estimated
about 200 Egyptian officers and
noncommissioned officers are
being trained in land, sea and air
operations and the use OF arm
aments at a Soviet base near
Poland's Baltic Sea port OF
Gdynia. Their instruction was
reported to include the use of
radar, submarines and all forms
of artillery.
Extension of Arms Deal
The training facilities are I'M
derstood to be an extension OF
the 1855 deal under which Com
munist Czechoslovakia sold arms
to Egypt for Egyptian cotton
and rice. the informants said.
The Foreign Office spokesman
said the British government also
is aware that Czech army Of
ficers are training Egyptian air
force men in the use of Soviet
bloc aircraft at airfields near
the Egyptian port of Alexandria.
Egypt is the leader of Arab
bloc nations surrounding Israel.
Premier Canal Abdel Nasser
declared in announcing the deal
with Czechoslovakia that the
arms were needed for defense
against a threat of Israeli ag-
erosion. An Israeli request for
United States arms is pending in
Washington.
Will Affect Policy
The Foreign Office spokesman
made this initial statement in
answer to reporters questions:
I'VE have received reports that
a considerable number Of Egyp-
tians are being trained in Poland.
The British government places
reliance on these reports. 1t is
not for us to comment on them.
All factors. this included, are
taken into account in determine
ton Of Middle Eastern policy"
The spokesman was asked to
comment further on a New York
report that Britain recently
completed a plan for effective
military action in case of a Sec
ond Israeli war, with the
object of stopping the spread of
any such fighting.
1--WE have plans which could
be put into action very rapidly
in such contingency when it
has been decided to do So" the
spokesman replied.
Will Not Act Alone
He made it clear the British
) government does not envisage
/ acting on its own. however and
, he called attention to American,
British and French consultations
5 under way in Washington on the
) Middle East situation.
These three-power exchanges
were undertaken to figure out
, ways of implementing the 1850
: declaration under which the
: United States, Britain and
: France pledged to resist any
forcible attempts to change the
Mideast frontiers.
Other British sources said
they understood the Egyptians
military group is being instruc-
ted by Russian experts, although
on Polish soil. They said the
training started last December
and there has been a regular
turnover of the Egyptian per-
sonnet since.
Under the arms deal, the Cairo
government is likely, according
to British estimates. to get 300
!, T-34 Stain tanks, between 200
and 300 MIG jet fighters, more
than so Ilyushin jet bombers
and about a half-dozen sub
marines. A big supply of small
arms also is believed to be in
the Prague Cairo pipeline.