Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-09-10
New Suez Talks
by Nasser
Move Follows
Failure of
CoiroPorIeys

LONDON, Sept. 10 (R.-
Egypt bid today for a parley
representing the views of all
users of the Suez Canal to tackle
the stalemate on its operation.
Egypt desires to state its de-
termination to continue to work
for a negotiated settlement
within the letter and spirit of
the charter of the United Ma
tions." an Egyptian communicate
said.
President Canal Abdel Mas
ser's government set forth the
idea even as Australian Prime
Minister Robert G. Menzies' five
nation mission flew back to Lon
don to report on the collapse of
crisis talks with President Mas
ser.
French leaders also headed to
London to plan the next move
with Prime Minister Eden and
Foreign Secretary Selwyn Lloyd.
They faced a choice between war
and further diplomatic dicker-
ing. This city again became the
focal point of consultations on
the crisis.
Note Given Diplomats
The Cairo communique an
nounced a note containing the
Egyptian proposal-nebulous as
to date. meeting place and how
participants would be chosen
had been handed by Egyptian
diplomats to U. N. Secretary
General Dag Hammarskiold and
to governments throughout the
world.
The note criticized the massing
OF British and French troops in
the Eastern Mediterranean and
reputed efforts to influence for
eign canal pilots to quit. It re-
called Egypt has expressed will
lngness August IL to negotiate
on the basis Of renewal of the
1888 Convention guaranteeing
freedom of navigation of the
canal.
1t suggested that, without
violating Egypt's sovereignty "
a solution could be found to
cover freedom of navigation.
Improvement Of the canal to
meet future needs and mainte-
nance of fair tolls.
Britain Chilly to Proposal
British officials gave Egypt,s
proposal chilly reception.
They said the proposal clearly
envisaged that the negotiations
should take place on the basis of
Egyptian control of the canal.
This, they said, made it immedi-
ately unacceptable to Britain.
Sir Anthony's government has
emphasized time and again it
will not agree to unfettered
Egyptian management that
would have life-or-death power
over the waterways traffic.
The British Foreign Office
said:
The Egyptian statement does
not appear to suggest any basis
for negotiation. The last action
OF the Egyptian government has
been the unqualified refusal of
the proposals put forward as a
basis for negotiation by Mr..
Menzies' mission. :"
The crisis may yet move TO a
showdown before the u. N.
In broad outline, Egypt's sug-
Igestion that Suez matters CON
Germ all countries using the canal
and Egypt. as owner Of the ca
nal" resembled the argument
Soviet Russia advanced in criti-
Icizing the London Suez confer
Ience of mid-August.
Want Red China In
Russia contended the 22-nation
London conference, at which
Britain was host, was not COM
potent TO settle the canals flu
ture. The Russians proposed that
those % nations-plus Egypt and
Greece, which rejected invita-
tions-and % others should take
part in the deliberations.
The Soviet idea, rejected by
the Western powers, was that
the roll should include Red China
and other members Of the Com
lmunist bloc, several neutral
states such as Austria, Finland
See SUEZ, Page A-3