Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-07-28
Eqypt's Actions

In MS column OF July ~,
Constantine Brown gives the
traditional Egyptian "explana-
ton" of why they bought arms
from the Communists. He says
that Egyptians remind us that
they asked us for arms but
I'VE turned them down, not
once but repeatedly" Mr..
Brown continues that when
the Communists came along
and offered them equipment
at bargain prices, they could
not "conscientiously" turn
down the offer.
1t is high time that this
Egyptian version Of history
was overtaken by facts.
The report of the Special
Study Mission of the House
Committee on Foreign Affairs,
informs us that it was Egypt
which twice rejected the
American offers of arms. The
following portion of that re-
port is quoted here to set the
record straight:
In July, 1858, the United
States advised Egypt it would
enter into firm commitments
to provide Egypt with military
and economic assistance stimuli
taneous with the signature of
agreement in principle on the
SueZ base. Six days after the
two countries initiated such an
agreement, August 2. 1854,
separate draft agreements on
economic and military as
Sistance were given to the
government of Egypt by the
United States Ambassador in
Cairo. At the end of that
month Egypt informed the
United States it had decided
not to request military aid at
that time. BY the middle of
october the Egyptian govern
ment had changed its mind
and indicated it wished to re-
sumo negotiations on military
aid. Following protracted dis
cussions, Egypt decided in
January, 1855, that It did not
wish to sign the standard type
grant military lance
agreement such as has been
signed by other nations re-
ceiving United States military
assistance.
Although Egyptian policy
deadlocked a military grant
assistance agreement, Egyptian
arms purchase requests re-
ceived prompt attention by the
United States following the
Suez settlement. Until June.
1855. Egypt's requests for mod
crate arms purchases were
filled. Several United States
letters of offer extended in
the routine manner prior to
Egypt's announcement of the
Soviet bloc arms agreement
had not been acted upon by
Egypt as of the date of that
announcement.
I'm early June. 1855. Egypt
raised with the United States
the question of obtaining adj
ditional arms by purchase,
and was informed on June %
that the United States agreed
to consider specific requests
for purchases under terms of
the 1862 agreement. On June
80 the Egyptian government
submitted a list of arms de-
sired. The question of financ-
ing them arose. No decision
had been reached with respect
to the Egyptian request for
special financial terms by the
time the Czech arms deal be-
came known. AS consequence
of this transaction the United
States suspended active con-
sideration of the Egyptian
request.
THE proposed grant mill
tary assistance agreement was
in no sense an alliance, as
some Arab leaders have con-
tended Egypt was not asked
to agree to any special provi-
sions which have not been
fully accepted by other friendly
governments signing such
agreements. The provisions
are specified in the Mutual
Security Act of 1854. They re-
CURED no secret undertakings,
and maintained complete rec
ognition Of the sovereignty of
recipient states
Thus it is clear that Egypt
was not compelled to turn to
the Communists for arms. It
could have acquired them from
+, the United States: but the
more important question is
why should Egypt feel COM
PEELED to divert so much of its
economic substance for mill
tary equipment? Was this
the course Of craftsmanship?
Everyone knows that Egypt is
not threatened and that Is
rael has repeatedly offered to
enter into a peace treaty with
Egypt.
How strange that Nasser,
who breaches coexistence when
he talks with Nehru and
Tito, fails to recognize that he
might well set an example Of
coexistence in his own neigh
borhood. Ruth Goldberg.