Evening star., 1956-08-18
Dulles Confers
With Shepi|ov
On Suez Future
Two Part Smiling
After Discussing
ConuI Compromise


LONDON. Aug. 1s R.-sec-
Tetary Of State Dulles and Rus
sia's Dmitri Shepilov conferred
almost 30 minutes today on the
possibility Of q compromise over
the future Of the Suez Canal.
They parted smiling.
Mr.. Dulles was accompanied
TO the Soviet Embassy by Rus
sian-speaking Charles E. Bohlen,
United States Ambassador in
Moscow, who acted as inter-
prefer.
The Soviet Foreign Minister
smiled broadly as he said fare
well to Mr.. Dulles at the EN-
bassy door.
A reporter asked Mr.. Dulles:
'Is there any sign of a compro-
mise?"
Mr.. Dulles then threw back
his head and laughed, but did
not comment.
Then he drove OF to the Brit
ish Foreign ONCE and talked
with French Foreign Minister
Christian Pineau and British
Foreign Secretary Selwyn Lloyd.
Bargaining Behind Scenes
Much of the hard bargaining
Of the 22-nation Suez conference
is being done behind the scenes.
In a speech for today's ses-
sion, Mr.. Lloyd called on the
conference to declare unani-
mously the canal should imme-
diately be put under Some in
ternational system Of control"
Mr.. Lloyd said he does not be-
lieve Mr.. Shepilov's idea for a
new and bigger conference on
the canals future is good one.
I'VE should not make rapid
progress by that method" Mr..
Lloyd said. 1T would take a
great deal of time and the urg-
ency of this crisis does not really
permit Of that"
Britain Backs Dulles
The Britain asked the confer
ence to formulate the principles
of q system Of international
control for the canal and to ar
range how these principles
should be conveyed speedily to
Egypt. He made it clear that
Britain fully backs the four
point plan advanced Thursday
by Mr.. Dulles.
The Foregn Secretary's speech
appeared soft In tone and free
from the bitterness of previous
British denunciations of Egyp-
tian President Canal Abdel
Nasser.
Yesterday Mr.. Shepilov re-
jected q Western plan put for
ward by Mr.. Dulles to place the
canal under the management Of
an international board - with
Egypt as Q member-and linked
with the United Nations.
But some Western diplomats
believe Russia which has been
acting as spokesman for the abb
sent Egyptians-may be pre-
pared to discuss some interna-
tional responsibility for the
waterway.
Mr.. Dulles obviously sounded
Mr.. Shepilov out to see just how
far the Soviet diplomat would go.
One informant said Mr.. Dulles
probably would expand his idea
before the conference on Mon
day and would recommend that
Egypt be a prominent full time
member Of the International
board. The other members would
be nominated by the U. N. Gen.
eral Assembly.
MenOn to Take Floor
In the big conference hall at
Lancaster House, India's foreign
policy expert v. K. Krishna
Menon was expected to follow
Mr.. Lloyd in speaking.
Some moves were made yes
terday toward a compromise of
views.
Apparently speaking for the
West. Mr.. Plneau said he would
recognize the canal as Egyptian
property if Egypt would turn
over management to an interna-
tional body that would guaran-
tee freedom of passage.
Repeatedly rejecting Egypt's
viewpoint, Mr.. Shepilov said ne
was ready to discuss interna-
tional cooperation in applying
guarantees of free passage
through the canal. Such CO.
operation, he said. might make
the whole business simpler. Mr..
Shepilov added that all this
would have to be discussed with
Egypt.
The United States has con-
tended that any proposal COM
ing out of the London confer
ence would have to be submitted
to Egypt. and the Americans
have made clear they want no
ultimatums.