Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-05


Austria Hungary. Spain, Italy, Rus
STA, the Netherlands and Turkey
Joined in signing the Convention
of ConStantinople. That agreement
provided that the Suez Canal would
always be free and open, in time
of war as in time of peace, to every
vessel of commerce or of war, with
out distinction of flag"
In referring to the convention.
the Big Three in their London
statement Thursday took the posi-
ton that Egypt had no right to
ma tionalize ian international
agency. i.e., the Suez Canal Co., ito
serve the purely national purposes
of the Egyptian government rather
than the international purpose es-
tablished by the convention of
1885,"
Nosser's Attitude
President Nasser is not expected
to look with favor on either the
Big Three point of view, nor the
proposal to submit the situation to
the August 16 conference. The
Egyptian position has been simply
that the canal is Egyptian and will
be run by and for Egyptians.
But there are persuasive reasons
for believing that Col. Nasser may
quite possibly assent to some COM
promise. Those who see this as a
strong likelihood assess the Egyp-
-tian strong mans position as pre-
carious. He has not as yet con-
solidated his position within his
nation. they point out, and must
rely for support on the army officer
corps.
If the big powers should attempt
a military re-occupation of the
canal zone. he would not have the
armed strength to prevent it. But
even those who foresee amicable
settlement of the Suez issue do not
expect Col. Nasser to back down.
His prestige. not only as leader of
Egypt but as the would-be prophet
of Arab nationalism. is too much
at stake.
In Moscow, Communist Party
Secretary Khrushchev called for
common sense, experience and
political sobriety' in the Vests
attitude toward the Suez crisis.
Although he warmly endorsed the
Nasser naturalization as "justi-
fed" the Soviet leader stressed
Moscow's desire to keep the canal
an international waterway. He de-
clared the problem should be reg
ulated peacefully with no ground
for the sharpening of relations in
the Mediterranean and less for in
flaming hostility between states"
The Russian attitude strength
ened hopes in the West that Col.
Nasser would eventually agree to
international participation in the
canals operation. There seemed
to be no cause for him to believe
that he would have Soviet support
if he elects to defy the West on
the issue of the International char
acter of the canal.
Col. Nasser himself, in an almost
conciliatory statement handed to
newsmen at a Cairo press confer
ence, pledged that Egypt would
abide by her international obliga-
tons" Repeating his contention
that the naturalization of the
canal company was purely Egyp-
tian matter. he said I'VE are as
ever determined to honor both
the Convention Of 1888 and the
assurance concerning 1t given in
the Anglo-Egyptian agreement of
1854 il. the freedom of navigation
in the Suez Canal is neither af-
fected nor involved in any manner
or to any degree"
But the assurances of Col. NaSser
appear to have done very little to
reassure the West. His machina-
tons in the matter of the Aswan
High Dam financing, his belligerent
speeches. the activities of his agents
in Jordan and Syria and Cairo's
steady encouragement Of national
ist rebellion in Algeria are cited as
poor examples Of integrity and re-
liability.
And, specifically affecting the
canal. Col Nassers government has
stubbornly refused to allow Israeli
shipping to pass through Suez. This
certainly conflicts with the guar
antees OF the Convention of 1888.
which Col. Nasser protests he in
tends to observe.
On Friday Secretary Dulles few
back TO Washington from London
and Immediately conferred with
President Eisenhower. In the eve
ming the Secretary made a special
radio-teleyision report 70 the Amer
lean people on the Suez crisis.