'J AH. SAVING TELEGRAM. ADVANCE COPY En Glair. By Confidential Bag, FROM CAIRO TO FOREIGN OFFICE.

Mr. R.M.A. Hankey. No.190 Saving.' INDEXED 17.8.53. REPEATED Saving to:- Addis Ahata No. 21(S Alexandria . No. 21 rt Amman No. 38 s Athens No. 18 o Bagdad No. 44 ("•J Beirut No. 86 C! o Benghazi No. 46 AUQ Fayid No. 340 CJ Damascus No. 44 ^5 Jed da No. 47 o Jerusalem No. 25 Q Karachi No. 20 o' Khartoum No. 56 o Port Said No. 25 s Suez No. 20 s Tel Aviv No. 26 s Tripoli No. 36 s B.M.E.O. Beirut U/N s

CONFIDENTIAL. Political Summary for the period 29th July - llth August, 1953. ADDRESSED to Foreign Office telegram No. 190 Saving of 17/8 REPEATED for information Saving to Addis Ah aha, Alexandria, ^mman, Athens, Bagdad, Beirut, Benghazi, Fayid, Damascus, Jed da, Jerusalem, Karachi, Khartoum, Port Said, Suez, Tel Aviv, Tripoli and B.M.E.O. Beirut.

My telegram No. 182 Saving.

GENERAL. Contacts "between the British and Egyptian Delegations for a new Canal Zone agreement have led to informal discussions covering most of the field. 2. A new series of shooting incidents and vehicle thefts in the Canal Zone followed on visits "by members of the C.R.C. to Ismailia and Pojrt Said, "but the situation has eased as the result of vigorous representations to the Egyptian Delegation in Cairo. 3* We have also had to make representations ahout Egyptian propaganda and interference in the Sudan. Major Salah Salem has again visitod Khartoum. 4. As regards internal affairs a number of alleged /Communists. - g -

Communists have been arrested. Further sensational corruption trials discrediting the Wafd are announced. The Liberation Rally founded by the C.R.C. still lacks political support and it appears that attempts are now being made by the leaders to cooperate more close with the Moslem Brotherhood.

INTERNAL ,»FF The C.Pw.G. and the Moslem Brotherhood. 5. The lack of any organised political support for the present regime continues. Except for General Neguib's personal popularity, the Liberation Rally excites little real enthusiasm, except perhaps when it attacks the British. General Neguib has spoken in Alexandria, Lt.-Col. Gamal Abdel Nasser and others have done the same in Port Said and Ismailia and elsewhere, but nothing seems to alter this general situation. This lack of political support is the background to the conciliatory policy which the C.R.G. are pursuing towards the Moslem Brotherhood, though the latter are still not committed to unqualified support. A new but rather limited agreement is now said to have been reached for cooperation between the two organisations in raising Egyptian living standards and in combatting illiteracy. A prominent member of the Brotherhood is apparently to become Liaison Officer between the two organisations and to act as religious adviser to the Liberation Rally. The Communist Problem. 6. At a preliminary hearing of the Communist cases brought before the specially constituted military tribunal on August 9, the Grand Mufti of Egypt, summoned by the prosecution, declared that Communism was incompatible with Islam, 7. The Egyptian police rounded up 35 persons suspected of Communist activities in Suez on July 28. A further 69 persons accused of subversive activities were arrested in Alexandria, Benha, Mansoura and Mit Ghamr on or about August 11 and some printing apparatus and large quantities of pamphlets were seized. Not only Communists but left-wing members of the Wafdist Youth were involved. 8. On July 29 the Minister of the Interior announced the release of 30 political prisoners. This left only 123 political detainees, he said, of whom throe were members of former political parties while the remainder were "agents of foreign powers11. Puad Serageddin, the former Wafdist Minister of tho Interior, was among those released. He is in poor health and, according to Lt.-Col. Abdel Nasser, is no longer any danger to the regime. 9. The arrests and also the releases show the regime to be vigilant, determined, and perhaps confident, but unless something is done to fill tho political vacuum which the C.R.C. have created by suppressing the Wafd and other political parties and by discrediting most former leaders, e.g. by strengthening the Liberation Rally, it seems almost inevitable that other subversive forms of opposition, probably of the extreme Left and Right will begin to be organised. Corruption Tribunals. 10. The cases before the Corruption Tribunal continued. /Mme. Naha s... Mmc. Nahas was fine:!. £E. 1,500, for getting public works in Cairo completed for her personal .Benefit. Osman Moharrem, former Minister of Public Works, was acquitted Taut still faces further charges. 11. In a new and sensational charge, Puad Serageddin, former ,~7///c>a7oi .qijLft-/ . 1 w 1 I I I i i i i i 1 i i i i i i COPYRIGHT - HOT TO BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHICALLY WITHOUT PERHJ SSION ' ' ' ' ' ' II 1 L,

cooperation "between Egypt ancl the Sudan. Major Salah Salem went further and said that the British would not carry out the Sudanisation claims of the Agreement unless forced to do so. A vociferous press campaign was encourage1". There have "been complaints from the Sudan of more direct Egyptian interference in the administration and also in internal political matters the re. 16. On .August 7 and again on August 8 I made strong representations to the Egyptian Government on Foreign Office instructions regarding these attacks, which were contrary to the Sudan Agreement. I pointed out that if they continued there could not possibly "be a "free and neutral atmosphere" for the elections as the Sudan Agreement prescribes, and that H.M.G. would moreover "be "bound to reply "by active counter-propaganda. The M.P.A. gave categorical assurances in reply that Egypt would adhere to the Agreement. 17. On August 8, Major Salah Salem, as Minister for Sudan Affairs, left suddenly for Khartoum where his exaggerated utterances have since produced acute disagreement with the Umma Party which favours independence. LIBYA.. 18» Attacks on the Anglo-Libyan Treaty have "been made "both "by members of the C.R.C. in public meetings and in the press. A protest meeting was held at the Young Men's Moslem Assotiation H.Q, at which a leading number of Moslem Brother- hood and the Vice-Rector of ^1 Azhar were present. Squadron Leader/Hue a liir Bulf-ium} a member of the G.R.C. has "been at pains to exmain publicly how Egypt had offered financial help to Llbyalin order to counter the British offer, "but without success< /JAH En Glair *' ..... * by Confidential Bag. FROM CAIRO TO FOREIGN OFFICE Mr. R.M.A. Hankey No. 1?2 (S) Dated: July ID, 1953- Repeated Saving to Addis Ababa Ko. 19 Alexandria No. lg (S) Amman No. 31 (S) Athens IS (S Bagdad 3$ (S Beirut 76 (S Benghazi 35 (S) Fayid 290 (S) Damascus 3'i Jedda 39 (S) Jerusalem 22 (S) Karachi 16 (S) Khartoum lj-9 (S) Port Said 17 (S) Suez 17 (S) Tel Aviv 23 (S) Tripoli 26 (S) B.M.E.O, Beirut (for Inf. Div.) U/N.

CONFIDENTIAL Addressed to Foreign Office Saving telegram No. 172 of July 16, 1953, repeated Saving for information to Addis Ababa, Alexandria, Amman, Athens, Bagdad, Beirut, Benghazi, Fayid, Damascus, Jedde, Jerusalem, Karachi, Khartoum, Port Said. Suez, Tel Aviv, Tripoli and B.M.E.O, Beirut (fo;n] Inf. Political Summary for the period 1st - Ht-th July, 1953 • My telegram No. Saving. General: The abduction of L.A.C- Ricclen from Ismailia and the subsequent failure of the Egyptian Authorities either to return him or to maintain local order compelled the British military authorities to introduce certain further local security measures. The situation thus created overshadowed all other events. Before this incident the regime laad directed public attention towards internal, particularly economic problems, and at least temporarily away from foreign affairs. 2. Egyptian hopes for a settlement of the Canal Zone dispute were centred on the Washington talks and there was further evidence that the regime are prepared to make /considerable considerable concessions to reach an agreement. 3«. In the Sudan the Umraa party appear to have strengthened their position and the N.U.P. to be beginning to lose ground. » Internal I4-. In the Finance Minister's report on the forthcoming budget, the seriousness of Egypt's economic situation was at last made public. Development plans were outlined and austerity meaeures vrere announced which included such unpopular if courageous steps as an increase in the price of sugar, a reduction in the size of the bread loaf and cuts in civil service allowances. Price control has also been removed from vegetables, foodstuffs and some other commodities and this has also caused some extra hardship among the poorer classes, 5. General Naguib in his speeches in the Delta towns, where he was acclaimed as President by large crowds, called for austerity and self-sacrifice. To set an example he halved his own salary. Other Ministers accepted lesser reductions. Bye and large the Liberation Rally has not been gaining ground and the attitude of the mass of the Egyptian public is one of apathy and gloom, accentuated by.the heat. 6. The Anti-Corruption tribunal deprived Mohammed Hassan, ex-King Faruk's former valet, of civil rights for^l5 years for his part in corrupt practices under the old regime. The trial of Osman Moharram, former Minister of Public V'orks, is still in progress. Madame NahaB is involved in this case. 7« On July 2>, a special military court was sot up to deal with two cases of communist activities. The Court of Cassation upheld the Judgment of the Court of Assizes that such activities were social and not political offences and were therefore not covered by the general amnesty for political crimes. Sudan . ' '£, Umina and N.U.P* delegations visited Cairo for discussions with Egyptian leaders. According to the chief Umma delegate the Egyptians wore more amenable than hitherto and Salah Salem as Minister for Sudan Affairs, gave assurances that Egypt v/ould stop helping the N.U.P. The Umma party are waiting to see whether these promises will be kept before launching an all-out electoral campaign against the N.U.P, 9. ' The N.U.P. were somewhat chastened by the increasingly conciliatory attitude adopted towards the Umma Party by the Egyptian Government and by S.A.H.'s readiness to support Khatmi candidates who are not members of the N.U.P. Anglo-Egyptian Relations: 10. The main theme of Major Salem's speech on foreign affairs at Alexandria on June 30 was that the Americans and British, who.were short of manpower in Europe, were trying to fill the gap in Middle East defence by building up the military force of the area itself; time was thus on the /side MOT TO BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHICALLY WITHOUT

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side of Egypt. The speech was no doubt a further attempt to frighten the Americans into putting pressure on Her Majesty's Government in the Canal Zone negotiations. At the same time it was an indication to the Egyptians that the Canal Zone dispute could wait and to some extent it reflected the regime's preoccupation with internal affairs. 11. The abduction of L.A.C. Rigden of the R.A.F. from the centre of Ismailia on July 9, followed by the shooting o of two British soldiers, one fatally, on July 11 and 12, caused a serious deterioration in the atmosphere. Following Rigden's disappearance in circumstances \\rhich indicated that he was in Egyptian hands, the British military authorities requested the Sub-Governor of Ismailia to take steps towards his recovery. This produced no results and the Sub-Governor was given warning, which was confirmed in writing at his request, that unless Rigden was returned before 9 a«ro, on July 13, measures would be taken which would seriously inconvenience the population of Ismailia. 12. The Egyptian reaction was hysterical. Major Salem, who described the warning as an "ultimatum", announced on the evening of July 12 that Egypt had always considered herself at war and that she was yearning for the bloodshed which should start at 9 a-m" next day. He repeated the Egyptian desire for bloodshed in' a broadcast on July 13 but added that the regime would not be rushed into premature action. In a third statement he said that the British measures would only serve to provoke violence and that he did not understand why one airman should cause so much excitement. 13» Panic seems to have been the main inspiration for these pronouncements. The Egyptians appeared to have been afraid that the British troops would stop at nothing to recover Rigden and that there was to be a repetition of the events of January 1952. The declarations were probably also made with an eye to their propaganda value - mostly towards influencing the Americans during the talks in Washington and partly towards distracting popular attention from internal troubles. 14-* The regime were apparently astonished as well as relieved to find that the 'measures' were only the setting up of some additional road blocks and the searching of all traffic on the approaches to lamailia. At the end of the period under review they seemed to be letting the excitement subside but to be making efforts to give the impression that we had climbed down. The possibility of some rash counteraction by the Egyptians nevertheless remained. HANKEY. 7 Fo s ? / I'lDsno \ q t ai n 1 2 ' * °^ * ^ \ \ 1 1 I 1 1 1 COPYRIGHT - HOT TO BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHICALLY WITHOUT PERM SSI 3N ' ~^*"

SAVING TELEGRAM \ /DBD Lpo ADVANCE C I2n Clair by Bag PROM CAIRO TO FOREIGN OFFICE Mr. R. M. A. Hankey No; 182 Saving Date July 30, 1953 Repeated to: Addis Ababa 20 (S) Alexandria 19(s) Amman 35(S) Athens 17(3 - Bagdad 40(S £, Beirut 81(3 .^--•^ '" Benghazi 43 S) P. yid 321(8 Damascus 40(s) K Jedda 43(S) Jerusalem 23 (S) Karachi 19(S) . Khartoum 53(S) ' ./Port Said 20(8) Suez 19(S) Tel Aviv 24(S) Tripoli 33(S) B.M.E.O. Beirut U/N

CONFIDENTIAL Political Summary for per i cd 14th - 28th July. 1953, My telegram Ho. 15 >..-ving. General The outstanding event of the period was the celebration of the Army Revolution's first anniversary on July 23. The four day celebrations passed off without untoward incident. Egyptian hysteria which followed the restrictions imposed by the British « Military Authorities in the Canal Zone in connection with the "~abduction of L.A.C. Rigden gradually subsided. The restrictions themselves were considerably relaxed, Rigden1s exact whereabouts continued to be unknown, 2, General Robertson returned to Cairo on July 19. The first informal contact for the renewal of the Anglo-Egyptian negotirtions took place as the result of a suggestion by the Minister for Foreign Affairs at the letter's country house on July 28. The result of .the ta'lk was generally satisfactory, Internal 3. Cabinet approval on July 21 of the new budget, totalling £E.197,5 million, passed without comment. Detailed expenditure figures have still not been published and the financial problem undoubtedly causes the Government lively concern, /4. ,,» 1 1 1 ! 1 I , i Fo3rutioano\ q isL&i I i i 1 i i i i I 1 1 I I 1 I i i COPYRIGHT - NOT TO BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHICALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION

4. The first anniversary of the Army Revolution was celebrated less lavishly and less enthusiastically than was the occasion of the Movement's first six months in power. The crowds were in holiday mood but financial stringency, jsummer torpor, and a surfeit of "games" damned their ardour. The standard of discipline -nu organisation at the main parade in Cairo was below that of six months ago. No incidents however mrrred the occasion. 5. General Naguib's speech on July 23 before the Military parade highlighted the lend reform but made little other mention of present internal problems nnd indicated no definite policy for the future. On the other hand he referred to Great Britain rs the big enemy to be pushed out of the Canal Zone as she had been from , the Sudan. Pera military commandos of the Liberation Rally and Moslem Brotherhood figured prominently in a parade before General Naguib on July 24. 6. Eighty-one journalists from various countries, including the U.K. and the U.S.A., attended the celebrations as guests of the Egyptian Government, The cost to the Egyptian Treasury was about JCE.700 a head and the authorities not unnaturally made every effort to extract.the maximum propaganda dividends from this investment. . It is generally agreed that the journalists were favourably impressed by the personality of General Naguib and also by Lt. Colonel Gamal Abdel Nasser. Major Salah Salem, the Minister of National Guidance,, however, greatly .overplayed his hand. 7. The first distribution by General Naguib of title deeds under the Agrarian Reform Law was much publicised. Some 19,000 feddans of the 181,000 feddans already expropriated passed into new ownership. Wing Commander Gamal Sclem, the member of the C.R.C. mainly responsible for the Reform, emphasized that one of its main objects was to discourage the upper classes from investing savings in land and thus divert capital from agriculture to industry. He also pointed out that the half million feddans which could be expropriated under the Law were not nearly enough to go round, ond that an energetic programme of land reclamation had been started, Angl o-Egyp/t ian Rela t i qns 8, The traffic restrictions and security measures adopted by the British Military Authorities at -Ismailla following the abduction of L.A.C, Rigden rnd Egyptian reactions to them provided the main interest during the first pnrt of the period under review. 9, With the realisation th't these measures were not nearly as drastic as had been expected, Egyptian hysteria subsided, end the subsequent gradual relaxation of the restrictions led to a further-lowering of the temperature. Our negotiations for the release of RigcLen were unsuccessful, apparently because the Egyptian authorities wished it to appear that he h; d not been abducted, They have not yet formally admitted that they have him, though there is no reasonable doubt about this» No serious incidents occurred in the Canal Zone, though various actions by the local Egyptian authorities, particularly the arrest of a number of Cypriot civilian employees, caused concern to the British Military Authorities. /10. .*. - 3 -

10. Whether to bolster themselves up for the coming negotiations about the Canal Zone Base, or to distract attention from their very difficult internal situation, the Egyptian Government maintained unceasing anti-British propaganda, first about the Ismailia incident, then about our imminent expulsion from the Canal Zone and finally over the Sudan. No lie, forgery or misrepresentation seemed too low for the Ministry of National Guidance to foist on the press. Our denials were censored by the same Ministry, The campaign, however, seemed to have curiously little effect on Egyptian opinion, though it naturally had some. Sudan i 11. The Governor-General of the Sudan attended the Anniversary Celebrations c.s the guest of the Egyptian Government. He was shown every consider.' tion during his visit. A large number of Sudanese notables also accepted the invitptibns of the Egyptian, Government. Foreign Relations 12. The draft Anglo-Libyan Treaty, the terms of which were fairly accurately surmised, was violently attacked. Squadron Leader Kaosan Ibrahim announced on July 15 that Egypt had, "with no ulterior motives", offered to meet the deficit in Libya's budget sooner than see her fall victim to imperialist designs.

HANKEY COPT K). SEC'RET STJDAr POLITICAL IIT^LLIGOT'I! StM'LASX 13). 7 0? 1955 JUTE/JIILY 1955

148. The General Situation. The main topic of interest during the past month has been transferred out aid o the Sudan to Caix-o, where as forecast in the previous summary a delegation from the F.U.P. consisting of r.ir^hani Hams a and Mubarak Zarrouk went to intercede with the Prirae Minister of India, Mr.Pehru, and the Pakistan Prime Minister, Mr .Mohammed All, on behalf of the F..U.T. stand on the question of tribal chiefs and politics. Their main contention was that Mr.Hukumar Sen, Chairman of the Electoral Commission, who w:is availing himself at the same time of the opportunity to see Mr.Fohru, hrid shown himself to be no longer neutral in his chairmanship and was favouring or being influenced by the British and Sudan Government viewpoint . Mr.Fehru is known to hp.ve assured the delegation that Mr .Sen is an official with great experience in these matters and of undoubted integrity, Who could have no reasons for bias either one way or another. ":.:huther the delegation managed to persuade Mr.Fehru into taking any active steps on their behalf is not known, though on their return to the Sudan they professed themselves to be thoroughly satisfied with the result of their mission. Whilst in Egypt they also saw the U.S. Ambassador, Mr.Caffory, and complained to him that Mr .Per kins, the American member of the Commission, Was no longer "neutral". It is understood that here too they were met with the rc^ly that the Ambassador had every confidence in Mr .Perkins ' impartiality» A pointer, perhaps, to the fact that the P.U.P. and the Egyptians Were disappointed by the results of their joint parleys with the two Prime Ministers is the announced arrival in lOnrtoum on the llth July of Major Sal ah Salim, one of whoso objects will probably bp to try to achieve an all-party agreement on the nuention of tribal chiefs and politics. It is unlikely that he will manage this since the S.ll.P. are pledged to support the right of tribal loaders to participate in politics. The announcement by the Revolutionary Council in Cairo of the est ablishment of a republican regime in Egypt was greeted with satisfaction by the Sudanese press and most of the political parties, who thought that it could have no adverse effect on the evolution towards so If-government in the Sudan on the lin^s agreed upon. There war, also a general tone of pleasure at the news throughout the Three Towns, where coffee-house gossipers predicted that the new regime would consolidate Egypt against the Piritish in the Canal Zone. The Egyptians have used the Liberation Celebrations on the £3rd July as an excuse for countering any influence that Britain Bay have succeeded in exerting by her invitations of Sudanese to the Coronation, and by other sponsored tours of ^the United Kingdon. They have issued invitations to some 96 tribal chiefs and notables to visit tho celebrations, and have renuentec the Sud^.n Government to nominate 51 officials to whom invitations are also to be sent. The Executive Council has, *

however, decided that for the sake of impartiality the matter should bo treated in tho same v/ay and on the same scalo IB the Coronation visit •. There will, therefore be an official Sudan Government delegation of some 25 persons to the Liberation Celebrations. This will not prejudice any other people from attending under their own arrangements, although they will not be granted any special leave or travel facilities by the Sudan Government . In the Omdurman n'unicipal elections recently four seats Were won by Khatmia against the IT.U-.P. and one, for the first tine, by Ummn. against the K.U.P. There Was considerab?^ enmity between F.U.?. and the Khatmia and insults were exchanged. Local Government has become noticeably unpopular in each of the Three Towns of late, and the Tress -too has been running derogatory articles on the subject. It is said that Local Government consists of a mass of officials who batten on local taxation and do nothing for the peoplo, and it is freely predicted that the institution will not long outlast the departure of the British. Rumours originating in IQaartoum about devaluation caused some alarm among the richer merchants, but the general assumption se^ms to bo that tho financial Secretary will quickly rectify matters by rubber-striping Egyptian currency notes and thereby creating a Sudan currency. Pro-Egyptians hope that devaluation will at least embarrass the Sudan Government and the British and to that extent help their friends in the Forth.

149. T he Umra a . ;P art y . It will be remembered that relations between the Umma Tarty and the '.Egyptian Government wero very tense after the mooting at Cairo airport between President tfogib and and Bayed Abdel Rahman and .Vbdulla Bey Khali 1, as the result of certain •oroposals which President Fegib had sent to the Urania shortly before that. Sayed Abdullahi El Pndil El Mahdi was loft in Eoy IQialil's v^ns inclined to v/ait and see.

150 . The Socialist republican Party .... It is reliably reported that the Secretary of the party vmrned the Egyptians rind the 1T.U.P. that if tho latter by their meddling tactic.B in Cairo succeeded in persuading the Co-domini to alter the Srttute, the S.R.P. Would boycott tho Agreenent. Were later sent to the Co-domini to this effect. On the 30th June Zein xil Abdin Saleh left for Kordofan to make a propaganda tour, but otherwise the party was not particularly active. J L I I I

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3. 151. The rationalist Unity Party, The party's delegation to the West returned to Khartoum toward the end of June. Their main support in Kbrdofan came from the merchants and. officials, among whom Ismail El Azhari made considerable impression by having all the answers pat, in striking contrast to the amateur efforts of a recent S..R,P., delegation ef tv/o nazirs. Among the masses, however, little interest was evoked save some amazement that the Government should allow people to express such strong anti-British opinions. The only interpretation put on it was thnfc the Government was too weak to stop them, It is doubtful if the tour will net the party many votes from the Arabs; scarcely any tribal leaders showed an interest, In the Tluba Mountains one of the delegations 's objects seems to have been to pick political candidates, but here again they had little success, perhaps because they were short of funds for distribution, It is believed that the !T,U,?. have agreed with the Egyptians that Xhalafallah Khalid should resign outright from the 31ectornl Commission, as his absence will not nffect the working of the Commission. The party would then play up Ms martyrdom in the Tress, with, another flood of protests about the tribal 1 T leaders. question and about the ! fU,P, being no longer represented on the Commission, The latter would be based on entirely spurious grounds since no party has the right of representation on the Commission oua party. It seoris now that they have no intention of boycotting tho elections, even if they think that they will not obtain a majority and they ere determined not to participate in any coalition government.

152, Labour, On the 20th June the Executive Committee of the Sudan Trades Unions Federation agreed to call a general strike to "be followed if necessary two months later by another, to protest against alleged mass aiamiRsals of workers by employers and Government departments. On the 29th the General Committee of S.T.U.?. endorsed this resolution and arranged for an ultimatum to bo sent to the Civil Secretary explaining the reasons for the strike nnd riving a 15 days period in v'hich a reply is to be received proposing measures to meet with S.T.U.!?. approval failing which a d~Ue will be fixed for the strike, The n.?.D. Union is believed to be largely opposed to this general strike, and the r.V- .D.Y.'orkers ' Trade Union have now publicly resolved not to cooperate with the present executive of 3,T-,U,]?-., so that it. is unlikely that much support for the strike will bo: found there too, The executive -of -S.T .U,l?,.. .realise that tihere a'-re serious defections and they have-sent delegates tq various parts of tho country in a effort t.o ginger up labour in support of the general strike, whatever support the strike riny have it ia unlikely to last, for more. than 3 days,.; !-,._' '. ;:.- • ; ' ' - •;•.•' fflKOMWPNOTOflggn^^

The Sudan Light and Tower Y'orkers1 Union having failed to come to agreement lay mediation, have oallod a three days' strike starting on the llth June 'in support of their demands. The S .L.P.Officials' Union have been collecting contri"butions to meet or to go some way towards meeting'their members' salaries for one nonth. The intention is then to coll a one month strike in an effort to bring S.L.T. operations to a standstill.

153. Communism.

A group of Sudanese Communists net on the 19th fTune and took various decisions concurning the distribution of leaflets. It v;as agreed thnt thin job should be delegated to students, that it should be carried out very late at night in order to avoid detection, and that compensation would be payable to anyone who might be caught for any loss suffered. Leading men v/oro sent to Shendi and Sbsti to organise the leaflets system in both places. The Communists have been making gruat efforts of late to win over secondary school students to their cause and to use them in their "stru^yjle" . Thus there has been a noticeable increase in student activity in El Obeid and ICassala where students have formed unions, started newspapers and given lectures of a communist nature. Other unions have been formed in T-tetenma and Khartoum Torth, the latter one embracing some adherents from Univerrlt,;T Ccllogo, Khartoum. Another communist manifest at i or., the Electoral front agninst Colonisation, which has been formed to further the latest communist aims of infiltrating into parliament ind creating havoc, has boc:i active lately* Sub-committees art; to be organised in the provincos and an office will be opened in Khartoum where people' can m^ot to discuss the Electoral front's progrnrome. This programme was briefly referred to in last months' summary*

OS/SCR/34.D.15/1

is CS/SCH/Rogist ry, J) IChartoum, 13.7.1953. Jfp^W/eg-701 COPYRUH. - HOT TO BE

En Glair "by confidential bag. FROM CAIRO TO FOREIGN OFFICE

Mr. R.M.A. Hankey No. 159 Saving July, 2, 1953 Repeated Saving to:- Addis Ababa No. 18, Alexandria No, 17, Amman No. 29, Athens No. 15, Bagdad No. 34., Beirut No. 74, Benghazi No. 37, Fayid No. 264, Damascus No. 32, Jedda No. 37, Jerusalem No. 21, Karachi No. 17, Khartoum No. 45, Port Said No. 16, Suez No. 16, Tel Aviv No. 22, Tripoli No. 26, B.M.E.O, Beirut UA \

CONFIDENTIAL Addressed to F.O, telegram No, 159 Saving of 2nd July, repeated for information Saving to:- Addis Ababa, Alexandria, Amman, Athens, Bagdad, Beirut, Benghazi, Fayid, Damascus, Jedda, Jerusalem, Karachi, Khartoum, Port Said, Suez, Tel Aviv, Tripoli and B.M.S.O. Beirut, Political Summary i?or the period 17th-30th June, 1953, / My. talegresD No. 1J& Saving. • • GENERAL The proclamation of the Republic may have temporarily sealed some of the internal cracks in the regime. It has brought no real political support and has been apathetically received. 2. In the Sudan the UMMA Party are still trying to secure assurances of fair play on the part of the Egyptian Government. 3. The Egyptians seem to be waiting to see the effect of the visits of Mohamed Ali and Nehru add of tripartite discussions between Great Britain, France and America before resuming discussion of the Suez Canal Zone problem.

INTERNAL AFFAIRS 4. The proclamation of the Republic of Egypt on 19th June came some- what sooner than was expected probably owing to severe difficulties inside the regime. General Neguib became President while retaining the Premiership but ceased to be Commander-in-Chief and Defence Minister. The following menibart of the C.R.Cto, reoei-rod iepcrt«"i:t appointments:

Lt, Col. Gamal Abdel Nasser - Deputy Premier and Minister of the Interior. S/L Abdel Latif Boghdadi - Minister for War. Major Salah Salem - Minister of National Guidance and Minister of State for Sudan Affairs, Major Abdel Hakim Amer - C. in C. Armed Forces. 5. The civilian Ministers of the Interior, Public Works and Communications resigned - the last two portfolios have been taken over temporarily by Fathi Radwan (Minister of State) and William Hanna ^Minister for Municipal and Rural Affairs)respectively, while the Minister of Commerce has also taken over the Ministry of Supply from Dr. Mansour, who resigned a few days previously. These changes are symptomatic of the growing difficulty of getting civilian Ministers to work with the C.R.C, b. /part from these difficulties, the proclamation of the Republic was probably designed to distract attention from the regime's internal troubles, to eliminate the monarchy as a possible focus of opposition in the event of an internal upset or of British intervention, and generally to consolidate the C.R.C.'s position. 7. The effect of the change is to concentrate control of the Armed Forces, police, . censorship and propaganda in the hands of younger members of the C.R.C. GamrJ. Abclcl Nasser becomes more openly the mainspring of the regime while General Neguib is a step nearer to becoming a figure- head. Temporarily, the regime's hold on the country is strengthened but some sections of the armed forces have reacted unfavourably to the appointment of Major Abdel Hakim Amer as C, in C., and his promotion to Major General. The C.R.C. took much pains to explain the position to the rank and file of the Army on which the regime depends. At the moment the general public is apathetic and the regime has certainly not gained any fresh political support. b1. The Moslem Brotherhood's support of the regime was again publicly pledged by Sheikh el Hodeiby, the Supreme Guide, on the eve of the proclamation of the Republic, but it is known that the Moslem Brotherhood have refused to enter the Government owing to lack of confidence in its durability. The Y*afd have also rejected the Government's soundings. 9. Most foreign countries, like H.M.G. in the United Kingdom, have already recognised the new Republic de facto. 10. The bribery case against King Farouk's factotum Karim Tabet and also Dr. Nakib ended in the first convictions by the Anti-Corruption Tribunal. Tabet was ordered to repay S&.5QQQ which he received as rake- off from charity subscriptions and was deprived of civil rights for 10 years. Dr. Nakib was debarred from holding office in any public institution for five years. In its welter of inspired Republican enthusiasm the press passed over the sentences almost without comment. The retrial of Rizkallah Homsy, manager of the Homsy Bank, who was recently acquitted of charges of large-scale currency offences, has been ordered by the government, The Sudan. 11. After S.A.R.'s return from London his anxiety to denounce the agreement with Egypt seemed to have diminished. President Neguib had withdrawn his ill-advised letter to the party, and it appeared that IP'^A would not go beyond an all out campaign against the pro-Egyptian N.U.P. The SeoretaryKieneral of the UMMA Party is however in Cairo seeking /assurances • -3- assurances that the Egyptians will discontinue their "blatant support of the ji • U • Jr # Anglo-Egyptian Relations, 12. The Egyptians have undoubtedly been waiting to see the effect of the visits of Mr. Nehru and Mohamad £li and also of the Bermuda Conference. This explains the prolonged lull. 13. Both Mohamed Ali and Mr. Nehru emphasised to the Egyptians in private the importance to their countries of a practical and peaceful settlement of the Canal Zone Base question, and their visits certainly discouraged the Egyptians from violent courses and led them to hope again for a negotiated solution. To me they emphasised privately the imperative need for giving the Egyptians every possible satisfaction in matters of form. Their public statements expressed more sympathy for Egypt'a desire to exercise sovereignty over her territory and Nehru1 s in particular had an unfortunate neutralist tinge, which will not make our task any easier. But on balance both visits have had a strongly soberina effect, and there are signs that the thinking of the C.R.C. may bo aoving slightly in tho riijht direction at any rate as regards numbers of technicians and the duration of tho Treaty. 14. Meanwhile the C.R.C. are still telling the Americans that if they do nothing to help them anon they will have to start a "controlled Holy War" whatever that may mean, some training of guerillas continues both by the Government and by the Moslem Brotherhood. We do not intend to be intimidated by any of this. The Egyptians know we are willing to discuss our differences whenever they are ready. 15. I have made strong representations to the M.F.,*,. regarding a number of cases in which British subjects have been arrested without trial, expelled without justification or kidnapped or intimidated. The Egyptian Department of Military Intelligence shows an unfortunate tendency to ape the Gestapo. DISTRIBUTION; pile Lib. Charge d1Affaires H. of C. i O.C. Leg. C. G.O.C. B.T.E. ft.0.0. 205 Group R.A.P. Inf. Dept* Mr. St..John C.S. N.A. M.A. Mr. Poston DSO Israailia. /

N—' COPY. no,

SI3DA1T POLITICAL IFnHiLLIfiBITCE gUMEAR!f

ITQ. 6 0? 1953 MAY/JUHS 1955

142. T.he General Situation. A combination of factors during the past month haf resulted in a state of suspended animation within the body politic. The month of Ramadan, falling this year at the severest time of tho summer heat, has coincided almost exactly with the period under review. Most of the party leaders were engaged in conducting electoral campaigns in the provinces and some others were away in London as members of the Sudan Special Mission to tho Coronation, The Electoral Commission completed work on the Electoral Rules for the House of Representatives, and then returned to the Rules for the Senate. They also came to a final decision on the question of which constituencies shall be contested by direct vote, and which by indirect, and in fact converted many constituencies to the direct vote so that the present position is that there will be 68 constituencies on the direct list and 24 on the indirect, Some of their decisiorein this connection may seem rather anomalous, and most of the political parties had critioisns to mko - for instance, tho Had endow a constituency remains indirect, while the neighbouring constituency of the Anarar and Bisharin has now been made direct - but most are agreed that the Connie si on arc the absolute arbiters and abide by their decision. Towards the end of May, when the Commission were nalcing strenuous efforts to conplete all major Work outstanding before their sunner recess, it becane apparent that the K.U.P., and to a lesser extent the Unraa, Were dotorninud to force an issue on the question of whether tribal leaders and members of native courts were to be allowed to participate in politics and still retain their administractive and judicial powers. The newspapers indulged in an orgy of invoctive against nazira and ondas, and raked up any and every instance of alleged undue use of 'influence by tribal loaders in an effort to prove their contention. It is clear,however, that tho majority of the Commission, including the Chaiman, remained convinced that the question of excluding tribal leaders fron standing for parlianent and canvassing their candidature was outside their terms of reference. Tho Egyptian menbor on the Commission and Sayed . Khilafalla IQialid, ono of the Sudanese members and a F.U.P. ncUiorunfc, seeing that their nrgunants were cutting no ice \vith the riajority, modified their tactics and. determined to- pross only for sorio strong rsort of sanction against any canvassing by tribal loaders who were not standing as candid at es. At the meeting at w hi oh the Connission finally voted on this question the majority would not accept even this modified proposal, on the groundsthnt an adequate safeguard, already exists in the Corrupt Practices Prevention Order, and accordingly Sayed Khalafalla Khalid withdrew fron the Connission stating that he would remain withdrawn until the situation was more stafisfaotory. The Egyptian G

member -also elected to stay away from the Commission's last two nestings and than flew to Cairo for consultations. There are grounds for believing that he himself originally wished to withdraw, but it is probable that he received instructions to persuade Sayed Hhalaf cilia Khalid to do so instead, thus preserving Egyptian representation on the Commission. Thereafter the 1T.U.P. openod a violent oonpaign against the Choi man and the American member of the Commission, accusing then of now favouring tho British and therefore of being no longer neutral. The Egyptian Government, or at any rrrte a F.U.P. delegation, will .probably- complain to Mr.Hohru about the Chairman's attitude, when.the former passes through Egypt, and to the United States Anbassador in Cairo about the American member. Relations between the Egyptian Government and the Unna Party are very tense, Following the visit of tho Umma dole gat ion to Cairo at the end of April the Egyptians are thought to have proposed to the Urima that they should make a declaration supporting tho independence of the Sudan, on condition that the Unna would agree never to tie tho Sudan in any forn of association with Britain, Abdalla Bey IChalil is believed to have rejected this proposal in no uncertain terns When he and Sayed Abdel Rahman El Mahdi passed through Cairo bound for Lore-Ion and the Coronation. If this is true it is an interesting pointer to the way the Egypt iaai? are thinking about the outcono of the elections, -In anusing result of the affair, however, was tho electric effect that the rumours of an Egyptian declaration in support of independence hod on the 1T.U.P., who saw the ground being cut fron under thoir foot. In a lame statement they explained thnt by "unity" they did not, of course, no an analganat ion with Egypt, but rathjr a forn of freo association between equals, Tho Egyptian Agricultural Delegation mentioned in Sui'.mary lTo,5 returned to Egypt after having proposed the fomation of a Sudano-ligyptian Agricultural Company to develop land belonging to Sayed Abdullahi El Padil El Mahdi and Shurif Abdel .iahi'ian El Iliw'i, The basis of the proposal is thought to be that the Egyptians are to provide the necessary finance, technicians, qualified staff and supervision, while the Sudanuso will contribute the land and the usa of their nones for registration purposes. Ono is led to wonder how profits will bo distributed. The group of Egyptian preachers who have visited the Simian during Ilamadan have, on orders from General Fogib concentrated strictly on religious themos, \vith one exception v;hen a fanatically anti-British speech wos made at the Egyptian Club, Khartoum. They havo now returned to Egypt, * The latest of the series of invitations to Egypt is one node to ten masters of tho Onduman Maahad who are going for a month's course nt El Azhar at Egyptian expense. Chief Janbo and his colleagues from the South, who went to Cairo last month as guests of official Egypt, have returned to Khartoum as guests of T.U.r. At a meeting with General ITegib, at v.'hieh Sayod Abdullahi El Pndil El Mahdi was also present, Chief Jnmbo was asked'to -prepare a memorandum about British "misrule" in tho South, 3. Although, some protagonists of independence in the Three Towns are relieved and strengthened by the British attitude to, and show of force on, the Canal, others regard- the British firmness with dismay or even hostility, fearing that if negotiations finally "break down Her Majesty's Government will re-occupy the Sudan and oanoel all arrangenents for independence, 143. The Umna Tarty. The party sent a high-powered delegation to the South in the niddlo of Mny, consisting of nost of their leading itien. Thoir main line of attack has been to impress on the Southerners the ijrportanoo of their standing together on the issue of independence; they havu not pressed Southerners unduly to join the Umma Party, but have shown only moderate sympathy towards the formation of a Southern Party. 144. The Socialist Republican Party. During the party's propaganda tour of the South they aeon to have made great head\vay with the Southern Party, Their line is thought to havw been to persuade the Southerners to cooperate with them to ensure the independence of the Sudan, in return for which the party would, if returned to power, offur the South funds for development and a measure of autonorny in local affairs. The S.R.T. are also trying to assist the Southern Party in the organisation of local branches and the , provision of offices and funds, though their own funds are BO depleted that it is doubtful if they will be able to achieve much in this direction. Their delegation is now touring Kbrdofan. 145. The Nationalist Unity Tarty. Tho party's supreme bid for support in the West, by sending a delegation headed by Ismail El Azhari on a very extensive t^ur of Kbrdofan and Darfur, is reaping a certain amount of success, although all reports so far received are from party-inspired sources. On the 19th.Hay Harariad Towfik returned alone to Khartoum in order to ginger up H.U.7. activity in the Throe Towns and to resuscitate the question of the tribal lenders. The remainder of the delegation continued thoir tour which is now drawing to a close. At a nesting of tho Executive Committee on the 21st it was resolved, inter alia, to form a special committee to study ways and means of supporting Egypt in its stand on the Canal Zone, and to cable to Britain and Dgypt denouncing the Executive Council's recent order about the termination of expatriate officials' contracts. A delegation will shortly leave for the South, where 1T.U.?. support is at present very superficial. 146. Labour. The proposal of tho Workers' Fational Committees Union to convene a General National Conference to oppose the Cairo Agreement and other "imperialistic" schemes has died a natural cleath as almost all persons abstained from signing an appeal that was submitted to then in this connection. The majority of M.T.D. Union members have refused to pay their subscriptions to the Sudan Trades Unions Federation and have instructed their president to-tell the Executive Committee of the Pedoration that no subscriptions will be paid unless immediate steps are taken to prove that the Federation intends to support the Cairo Agreement. There is little sign as yet 4. of any cohesive tendency rmong the dissenting unions, oppose tho Federation's policy on the Agreement. 147. Coiinunisn. There is plain evidence now thnt the local Connunists have decided to participate in the elections and at the same tine air. at forning a popular front to' support then in their policy of entering parliament and executing their Trojan Horse tactics fron within. They have issued a progranrne which is full of otn raotivo sops to the plebs but which, if irrplenented, would quickly spell ruin to the country, as is intended. Free health services and other social welfare facilities - to bankrupt the treasury; heavy incone tax on foreign businesses - to discourage investment fron out aide; and abolition of tribal leaders' powers - to create a rural anarchy. A ninority group are still in favour of boycotting the elections and opposing the Agreenent.

CVSCR/3&B.15A

Khartour.i, 20.6.1953. /cm En Olair by confidential bag.

FROF CAIRO TO FOREIGN OFFICE Mr. R.M.A. Hankey Mo. 154 Saving 22nd June, 1953. Repeated Addis Ababa No 17, Alexandria No. 16, Amman No. 26, Athens No. 14, Bagdad No. 30, Beirut No. 70, Benghazi No. 34 , B.M.E.O. Fay id No 24-3, Damascus No. 28, Jedda Wo. 33, Jerusalem No. 19, Karachi No. 16, Khartoum No. 42, Port Said No. 14, Suez No. 15, Tel Aviv No. 20, Tripoli No. 23, B.M.3.0. Unnumbered.

CONPIDSNTI.'iL Addressed to P.O. telegram No. 154 Savinc of 22nd June, repeated for information. Savinc to:- Addis Ababa, Alexandria, Amman, Athens, Bagdad, Beirut, Benghazi, B.F.3.0. Fayid, Damascus, Jedda, Jerusalem, Karachi, Khartoum, Port Said, Suez, Tel Aviv, Tripoli, B.M.E.O. Beirut. Political Summary for the period 3rd - 16th June, 19-53. My telegram No. ^S^Saving. Our eerie silence over the treaty negotiations continued The C.R.C. were still waiting for something to turn up, but their hopes seem to have turned from Mr. Dulles to Mohammed Ali and Nehru. At the same time the Egyptian- authorities were clearly trying to avoid incidents in the Canal Zone. On the internal front articulate opinion was increasingly resentful of continued restrictions, Internal. 2. The main efforts of the C.R.C. were directed towards preserving scne appearance of optimism in tho faco.of economic and political diffi- culties. Sheikh al Hodeiby, Supreme Guide of the Moslem Brotherhood,in a much publicised press interview, pledged the Brotherhood's support of the- regime. (My saving telegram Ho. 136). Similar sentiments were expressed in Al Pa' a?.va, the Brotherhood organ, on Juno 9. In spite of this outward harmony hidden conflict continued between the C.R.C. and the Brotherhood. Neither can afford an opon bruak at present but both appear to be awaiting a chance to score off the other, •3. The police, who have long chafed under tho dominant position of the Amy, '.vare honoured by a visit by General Neguib on June 3 and June 7. He exhorted officers, cadets and man to bear in mind the watchword of the Revolution "Unity ^.Sle.r: and;^>i3^~l^hd to beware of false rumours. -2-

4. Much energy was expended on denouncing false rumours (my savin.y telegram ^o. 139) which were alleged to be circulated by the British at the cost of £E.500 a rumour (my saving telegrr-m NO. 143). Particularly strong- statements were issued denying rumours that Cabinet changes were being c--n- sidered (c.f. my saving telegram NO. 123 paragrcph 2). 5. Nevertheless the civilian Ministers \vere known to be very dis- contented at their lack of real power and at the constant interference of the G.R.C. aid ^ven of relativca-j w..aicr officers in the administration. The resignation of Dr. Sabry Mansour, Minister of Supply, was announced on June 16. His Ministry had long been a target for criticism, in spite of his efforts to pursue a more realistic policy. Reports that officers of the CRC were to be appointed to ministerial posts in the Cabinet persisted, 6. On Juno 10th the formation of a Liaison Committee to establish closer contact between foreign c :n;\unitljs an.; th-i J-./r-ti^.n Government (my saving telegrams Nos. 144 and 145) *" vim announced at a sc.-ev;hat unroi'rosontativo assembly cf foreign residents including prominent British subjects under the chairmanship of General Heguib. This c. mird.ttc.-G is nominally intended to irnvrcve relaticns with foreign corr-iunitie.s, but many ,os»rvers fear that the real object is t: sot up a committee- of stooges who would tiask the real state_ of affairs in an emergency. Thu committee has not yet been appointed and we are watching the .situation closely.

7. There was a brief revival of interest in the Anti-Corruption Trials when Dr. Hafez Afifi, former Chief of the Royal Cabinet, cave evidence in the Karici Tabet-Nakib case. Host of his cross-examination dealt v/ith government under the o}.d regime and had little to do with the point at issue. 8. All but two of the defendants in the Defective Arms case were acquitted. These two, Lt. Col. Hussein Mansour and Col. Abdel Ghaffar Osman, were sentenced to fines of only TE.100 each. Several newspapers indignantly pointed out that none of the personalities so far tried for misdeeds under the old regime had been convicted. These acquittals are being interpreted as a sign of weakness and it is likely that the commutation of the death sentence on Lt. Col. al Damanhouri, announced by Al Tahrir on Jane 4, wr.s regarded in the same light. 9. There has been press cii-icism of the restrictions imposed by the military government and of the continuance of purely military government itself. Replies were made by S/L IIr.ssan Ibrahim and Lt. Col. Hussein al Shafei (ny saving telejrsm No. 139) in which they disclaimed political ambitions for members of the C.H.C. and offered explanations of the reasons necessitating sons curtailment of liberty. 10. The visit of Lt. Col. Gamal Abdel Naser, Major Hakim Amer and Major Salah Salem to Alexandria, on Junu 14 was generally believed to be an attempt to rouse flagfin^ spirits in that city, and perhaps also to counteract the unpopularity with the population of the local military. The anti-British excerpts from their speeches, were naturally publicised, but in f^ct most of the speeches dealt at greatest length v/ith internal problems and were very hostile to the «afd (my savinr; telegram NO, 148). According to Col. Naser hiriself, it had not been his intention to make any speech, anti-British or otherwise. 11. The bairam holiday was celebrated noisily but without incident in Cairo. It was unfortunately narrod in the provinces by a number of village fires in which several villages - including a Feint IV model project - were burned out and many lives lost. The Sudan 12. On June 6 Abdel Fattah, Egyptian member of the Electoral Commission, walked out of a meeting of the Commission following the /refusal 1 1 1 i . - Fo3nt/ic>a7o\ ii^ri 1 2 * COPYRIGHT - NOT TO BE REPRODUCED Punrnrotoui rt, , v ^. -U_L.U_I_ 1 1 1 1 i l.l . J_L

-3- refusal of the majority of the members to accept his draft recommendation to the Sudan Government that tribal leaders should be debarred from participation in the comity; elections. He was supported by fUialaf ^.llah KnoT-i?"8 of tha Sudanese Unity Party. The Chair-nan Sukumar Sen' s draft was then approved. Khalaf all ah Khaled later announced that until the question of the Nazirs was settled in accordance with his views, he would not attend the Commission (Khartoum telegrams Nos. 409 and 413). Neither Abdel Fattah nor Ehallaf allah Khaled has formally resigned. 13. The Egyptian Press has denounced the attitude of the Commission, attributing it to "foreign" influence. The Egyptian view is that tribal leaders should be treated in the same v/ay as Government officials and should not be allowed to take part in the elections. Anglo-Egyptian Relations. 14. V/hile continuing to announce that Egypt would work out her own salvation, the C.R.C. and the press began the fortnight with expectations of .Vnerican intervention in the Canal Zone dispute. One set of proposals for a ssttlement, alleged to have been made by General Neguib to Mr, Dulles (ray saving telegram No, 140) and immediately disowned by the former, was followed by another set attributed to Mr. Dulles, which however was promptly denied by the U.S. Embassy (my saving telegram No. 142). Both wore widely and hopefully publicised. 15« By the end of the period under revdew attention was focussed on the Indian and Pakistan Prir.e Ministers who were represented as having fought for -Egypt's rights at the Conference of Commonwealth Prime Ministers (ny telegrrrns Kcs, 396 and 897) and high hopes are expressed in the results of th.;.ir brief stay in Egypt. The episode seems to show that the Egyptian Government are anxious to promote hopes of a successful outcome, even though they have no very good reasons to back such hopes. 16. The Coronation celebrations were virtually boycotted by the present regime. One representative each of the C.R.C. and the Council of Ministers atter led the Coronation Day Reception at this Embassy, and in all cnly scrce fifty Egyptians, for the most part representative of or socially prominent under the old regime (including three ex-Frime Ministers) were present. The press took a not-unsympathetic interest in the event and the belated official decision to ignore Coronation news was only partially successful. Films and newsreels of the occasion were banned but this attitude may have been dictated as much by aversion to Monarchist sentiments (at a t-me when the proclamation of a Republic in Egypt had beon virtually decided) as by purely anti-British feeling. 17« Public incitement to -'iolence (with the exception of the Alexandria speech of Col. Naser referred to in paragraph 10 above) was confined to speeches by the Rector of Alexandria University who urged his students to join the commandos and to Lewa Hohammed Saleh Harb, President of the Y.M.M./.., v.'ho declared inter alia that Egypt would not let the Sudan join the Commonwealth and "that 20 million Egyptians could overwhelm the British forces in the Zone, 18. There were clear indications- that the Egyptian authorities wished to avoid trouble in the Zone. Some 30 known trouble-makers were arrested by them and the suspected drive against Palestinians (Payid telegron 424) was discontinued. Incidents reverted to a normal level. 19. Supposed British policy in Libya was violently attacked by S/L Ibrahim Hassnn who accused us of blackmailing the country into accepting British domination (my saving telegram No. 132) and several papers, notably Al Misry echoed these feelings. Relations » ?0. On June 9 the Egyptian Foreign ''inifter signed the -i /Set \veen PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE 1 2 3 4 S < Reference:- 1 «• : * Fo3nilio£7o\ ' qisui Mil .1 1 1 1 1 I!' 1 1 I' 1 1 1 J .. - — • • •-' .^-j.-x^n- -T ' ~ ill i> 'iid ppi

•-4-

between the Arab States regarding nationality, extradition, law enforcement and power of attorney which had been approved by the Arab League Council at its last meeting* 1 1 1 1 1 1 . 5~os~7/ //C$701

TELEGRAM

(20) Copy "No.* . t

En Glair• By Confidential Bag. TO FOREIGN OFFICE

Sir Ifclph Skrine Stevenson* No.138 Saving. 8th June, 1953i REPEATED Saving to:- Addis A"ba"ba No.l5(S Alexandria No.l4(S Amman No.2l(S Athens No.12(8 Bagdad Ku.2518 Beirut No.64(3 Benghazi No.29(S, B.M.E.O. Fayid No.226(3) Damascus No. 23 S Jedda No. 28 Jerusalem No. 17 Karachi No. 14 Khartoum No. 37 Port Said No.12 Suez No.13 Tel Aviv No, 18 Tripoli No. 19 B.M.E.O. Beirut U/N

nnNPTDENTIAL,

ADDRESSED to Foreign Office Saving telegram No.138 ef 8th June, 1953, REPEATED for information Saving to Addis A"ba"ba, Alexandria, Amman, Athens, Bagdad, Beirut, Benghazi, B.M.E.O. Fayid, Damascus, Jedda, Jerusalem, Karachi, Khartoum, Port Said, Suez, Tel Aviv Tripoli and Information Division B.M.E.O., Beirut. ^-T^- I 0 I *L / *2

Political Summary for the^ period 20th May~2nd June*r /'" My telegram No. 123 Saving. Unwilling yet to launch the promised Jehad, the C.R.C* have "been waiting for something to turn up - though they have only the vaguest idea of ,what they may expect. Meanwhile they have preached patience, the need for which has "been attributed partly to the prospect of American intervention after Mr. Dulles' return to Washington, and partly to the Government's determination to choose their own time and method of action and not to "be stampeded. Public attention was apathetic as usual during Ramadan "but was provided with some distraction "by the "bringing to trial of prominent Wafdists and "by incessant accusations that we were waging a cold war. Popular discontent with the Government has not "been allayed* Internal* French interest was roused Ant i -Corrupt ion 2« the caae asainat Karim which still continues, i i 1 1 i ! .F 3,-7,//C«L70| 1.3LI1 i 2 0 1 1 1 1 i 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I i COPYRIGHT - HOT TO BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHICALLY Wl PHOUT PCfHJSSDN '" '" '"''"'"

was followed "by the publication of charges against Fuad Serageddin, Zaky Abdul Motaal, Abdul Latif Mahmud, Osman Moharram (all former Wafd Ministers) and also against Madame Nahas, wife of the Wafdist Prime Minister. (My Saving telegrams 124 and 130). Certain of these charges refer to land speculations and are not unlikely to be those which the Egyptian Minister of State announced had "been dropped. (My Saying telegram under reference paragraph 9) . / ^ '\i f 0 / ^' /^

- 3 -

Tho Sudan. 9. General Neguib wrote at length to the Urrma Party stressing the advantages of Sudanese union with Egypt and minimising the differences "between union and independence. He alleged British attempts to maintain a stranglehold on the country, appealed for solidarity in the common effort to drive out British imperialism and asserted Egypt's neutrality towards Sudanese political parties. (Khartoum telegram to P.0.387). S.A.R. appeared to consider this letter highly unsatisfactory (Khartoum telegram to Cairo No.218). Anglo-Egyptian Relations. 10. Neguib' set the tone for a new phase of the Canal Zone dispute by his speech on the 20th May in which ho said that though the G.R.C. had resolved to win Egypt's rights lay force, they would not do so at present. He explained the dangers of premature action, indicated the difficulties ahead and appealed to Egyptians to bo patient, resolute and prepared (my telegram 831). This theme was reiterated in the pronouncements of other leaders throughout the fortnight. Though tours of the country "by various officers continued, these were on a reduced scale and their statements were considerably less virulently anti- British than in the past. An exception was a speech on 28th May "by a Major Tomaa of the Liberation Group who wanted to irrigate the Canal with blood. 11• From ^throats of armed action against our troops members of the regime and the Press turned to complaints that we were carrying on a war of nerves against Egypt. This began when the warning to the British community became known* On 22nd May Lt. Col. .Vbdel Nasr declared that the warning was designed to cause panic and disrupt the country (my telegram No. 122 Saving). Tho press which had mostly remained quiet, (my telerram.N©. 120 Saving), picked this up and has inveighed against the "British cold war' ever since. 12. There has been no resumption of officially organised attacks on British property and personnel in the Zone. However* the normal stealing and acts of violence continued and on 21st May two British soldiers were stabbed in Port Said and one of them died. In consequence all troops entering the town have /been ordered to wear uniform till further notice (my telegram No.849) despite the Governor's protests. 13. The indications are that the Egyptian Government simply do not know what to do and do not dare do nothing indefinitely (my telegram 833). At present they are following no very consistent policy. After realising perhaps that his speech calling for patience would be considered a sign of weak- ness (my telegram 832) Neguib declared on 27th May that Egypt was now solidly established in a position which would enable hor to take the offensive. In a recorded interview with the Cairo correspondent of the Colombia Broadcasting System which was broadcast in the U.S. on the 24th May he denounced British acts of aggression in the Canal Zone (my telegram No.858). Yet on 2nd June Puad Galal said that incidents were provoked by both sides and were nothing abnormal. Nonetheless such vacillation does not mean that the position of the C.R.C. is in immediate danger nor that they are any more ready to come to terms with us over the Canal Zone. Recent conversations with Lt. Col. Abdel „ jMfcfcjfc .---..- V||TIH 2 s • 1 '1 ' 1 2 \Fo3n, /,w0] i.jtn 1 1 1 1 1 I 1 COPYRIGHT - NOT TO BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHICALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION

Nasr and other members of the C.R.C. show that they are too fully convinced by their own propaganda and too much obsesses by tne difficulties which they think they will have with Egyptian public opinion to make concessions sufficient to form the basis of an agreement on terms acceptable to Her Majesty's/ Government.

Foreign Relations. / 14. • Mr. Adlai Stevenson's visit ,to Cairo from 28th May to 2nd June passed off quietly. He pfide no controversial state- ments and press comment was brief arid not unfriendly. Ho appeared to have a remarkably well ^balanced view of tho present situation in Egypt (my telegram 874). Immediately Before leaving he gave a press conference at which he expressed dptimism for the future (my telegram No.134 Saving)* 7j £• \' " " 15. General Noguib has boon making determined efforts to win the support of Pakistan and Indr'a, iasuing insistent invitations to bo-oa J^ehru and Mohammed Ali to break their journeys in Egypt. The press followed this up by ^^iff wholly imaginary declarations of support for Egypt to the Pakistan Charge d1 Affaires. Neguib also gave special interviews, in which he mide the usual declarations of Egyptian aspirations, to Indian, German, American and Japanese correspondents. To tho last-named he announced his lack of confidence in the United States Government's efforts to secure a settlement in the Middle £-ast.

16.' The Swedish Government decided to hold up future deliveries of arms to Egypt except for one consignment of 3,000 machine pistols which the Egyptians had already inspectod. The final decision as to the delivery of this consignment has not yet been taken. (Stockholm telegram to P.O. No.lSO;.

DISTRIBUTION;- Pile. Library. H.3. H.M.M. • H. of C. Oriental Counsellor* Legal Counsellor, G.O.C., B.T.3, A.O.C. 205 Group, R.A.P, Inf, Dept. Mr» St, John. C.S. M.A. N.A. Mr. Poston. D.S.O. Israailia, SEC SET copy HO POLITICAL SUMMARY. ITo. 5 of 1953 1953

136. The General Situation. The Electoral Commission have been encased since their formation in completely re-writing the Electoral Rules for the House of Representatives, vihioh are now in their final stages before printing and promulgation. After a rapid day-visit to Atbara and 3d Dnner and "before embarking on an eight-day tour of the three Southern Provinces the Commission requested that directions should be issued for the preparation of electoral rolls in all constituencies where indirect elections have so far been envisaged. It seems clear that this step was taken in a precautionary spirit and from a desire to save tine now in case further extensions of the diroct vote seem feasible after more study, since the majority of the Corsnission appear to favour such extensions wherever possible, It is believed, however, that the Commission had practically docidod in favour of a delay of elections until October before thoir Southern visit, and that they used the various climtic and other difficulties observed there as an added justification for their announcement of delayed elections. The 1T.U.P. accepted the Commission's decision on October elections with suppressed glee, ^B they are still firnly of the belief that tine runs in their favour and that in the ensuing months thvy \viil, by various means, achieve a significant swing of opinion to their side. They also hope in the interval to obtain rectification of various points . which grieve then at present, such as an attempt to gain deprivation of the judicial and administrative powers of the nazirs and sheikhs if they inrlulce in politics. On this point legal opinion has been sought, fron vihioh it emerges thot naijirs and shaikhs are definitely not considered to be in the sniae category as government officials. There is every reason to believe that the Corinission will accept this opinion, The Umraa, S.H,T. and V»rvtan, though disappointed about the delay, accepted it with a cood c;raoe as having bo en decided by an international body whose motivan are unimpeachable . propaganda has continued at full spote during the period under review, and there has been a constant two-way traffic between the Sudan and E{*ypt« Subsequent te the visit to Cairo of the 25 tribal leaders of Kbrdofan, as mentioned in last month's sunnary, a party of Ahlift School teachurs paid a visit to Egypt. ~-»hilo it Won announced far ard wido that they were travelling nt their own expense the pattern of the hospitality rxnd reception in Bgypt made it l^ sponsorship, 2.

A recent return visit has "been that of the Egyptian Agrloultur.nl Delegation consisting of Abdel Asia Abdulla Salirn, forraer Minister of Agriculture, Ibrahim Shoukri, a member of the Constitution Amendment Committee, and Abu ill Ma^tl El Turd, a well-known Ord.ro business man, who arrived on the Hth Mny. Their declared object is to make contacts with Sudanese oonoerned with agriculture v/ith a view to establishing joint schemes to the benefit of both countries. They visited both Saycds and had discussions with Abdulla Boy Xhalil, Sayed Abdullahi 31 Pndil and Sherif Abdel Ilahman El Tindi, before making a tour of investigation in the Blue ITile Province. One result of the sustained birch tempo of Egyptian propaganda was the departure to Cairo on the 22nd April of an Umraa delegation consisting of Sayedg Abdel Bahnan Ali Taha and Abdel Rahraan Abdoun and Dr.Ali Bedri with the apparent object of remonstrating with the Egyptians for havinc violated the Parties' Agreement by propa/i-ati^; furiously for the tt.U.P. and on their ov/n account and for attonptinc to influence public opinion in the SuO.an \vith a "shower of cold". The Egyptian reply, so far as it is Imown, denied but by inference admitted such activities and promised that they Would not occur in future. Various proposals are also thought to have been undo to the Urama for a reviving of the solidarity with Egypt v/hioh norientarily burgeoned when the Parties' Agreenent v/t?.s sicned. The hitch over the .Xnelo-J^yptian negotiations on the Canal Zone provoked protestations from most parties that they would support Egypt in the event of a breaMoWn. Abdulla Bey Khalil, spealdng for the Umria Party, made a non-connittnl statement in which he voiced the opinion that a breakdown would have an indirect effect on the progress of the transfer of power in the Sudan. There are ^ood grounds for beliuvinc that he was taken to task by certain of the Cairo junta for not coming out openly in favour of Egypt} ^ a«y rate a few days later Sayed Siddik Abdel Rahman affirmed the Unraa's support of the Egyptian "stru^le :?or independence" *

Coffee-shop gossip in the Three Towns on the llth and 12th May was rather pro-Egyptian in tone and there was much speculation as to the limits to which the Egyptians Would go to drive the British from the Canal Zone, and about the high toll which irregular v/arfare Would exact from the British thore. On the 12th Hay two lorry loads of British Troops who happened to be passing-the Omdurman football stadium when a crowd wag collecting were oat-called derisively ne men who mates promises which they never fulfil. It v/as reportod from Khsgala thnct Fayed Ali El I-Hrghani's latest instructions to tho Xtiatnia of Kassala Province Were to vote as independent Khatnia and not ag members of any political party. lie is also reputed to have persuaded Mohammed Ahmed El JTil to withdraw his nomination as a candidate for 3?ort Sudan, which may be a pointer to his preference to push tribal nominees instead of townees, since he is i\ble to control the former and their support ere ' moro easily. ___ COPI...HT - NOT TO BE REPMDUCLD PHOTON.

V9*W

In Eassala itself Mohammed Gubara Aw ad El Mardi, who was mentioned in para 129 of summary lTo.3, announced his intention of standing as the N.U.P. candidate, but he was promptly informed by Bayed Hassan El Mirghani that he Would find no Khatrai support if he did. The reoent establishment in Khartoum of the United Kingdom ^rade Commission, and the Commissioner's talk with political lenders, raised a storm of protests in many Arabic newspapers - notably "Sudan El Gedid" - that the Commission's real assignment was political rather than commercial, and that this WP.S a flagrant British (attempt to infiltrate surreptitiously a propaganda agency in violation of the Agreement. In spite of reassurances to the Press from the Commissioner that his office cloaks no sinister design, fulminations against it continue to appear.

137. The Uinma Party. The party fs!main preoccupation was with the iniquities of the FiU.P. and the Egyptians, and the plethora of Egyptian raoney and propaganda in the Sudan. In consequence they sent a three-man delegation to 3rypt at the end of April^ as already mentioned, to intercede on behalf of the terms of the Parties' Agreement. Though tho outcome is not yet fully known there have buun signs recently of a facade of renewed solidarity. The party plan to send a delegation to the South on the 16th

138. The Socialist He public.an .Party There lias boon an increasing feeling in the Three, Towns that the S.H.Pk is moribund. However^ it come to life again on the 25th April when Sayod Ibrahim Bedri and Dnrdiri Mohammed Ahmed left on a.propaganda tour of the Soutlt^ They were joined there on the 9th May by Advocate Ahmed Juma and Sayed Surur YJnd Ramli and ,the tour still continues. Thore have been 'few indications as yet of the response they have received from the southerners.

139. The rationalist. Unity Party, The Unionists have beon far and away the moot active party during tho period under review, Isnail El Ashnri headed a delegation, which made-a rapid visit to the Gocira on the l&fch April and on the 26th he left with Hommbd Tewflk, El Tayeb Mohamned Kheir, Moloammod Gubara Av/nd and others on an extensive tour of the West which still continues. Reports received so far indicate that the T.U.?. aro Attracting a great deal of interest and support on those tours, •-.-' \ Sponsored by the 1T.U.P* Sultan Jambo, of the Moru tribe, the ex-presidont of the Amadi 13 Court who was recently voted out of office owing to his failure to consult his tribe before giving support to Major Salah Salim, was brought to Khartoum on the £8th April with his son>. ex-Shawish Mau Mabrouk, ex-Sergeant Major Kbrr.ir.ngi and the'l%U.P» Southern representative Dr.Ahmed El Sailed Hamad. After being dined and wined round the Three Towns for some days by Sayed Abdel Rahman El Mahdi, the F.U.?. and senior Egyptian officers, the guests were then invited to Cairo on an official visit, where General J'e^lb himself met them at the airport. Their entertainment programme in Khartoum, in which the Unma, K.U.P, and Egyptians all shared constituted one of the recent signs of a rapprochement between the parties.

140. Labour, The moderate elements within the Trade Unions are preparing for a show-down with the extremists. The Extraordinary Conference of thy Trades Unions Federation, which was called on the 26th April in orcler to discusn the Federation's stand vis-a-vis the Agreement, was aborted by the extremists on the Executive Committee who seised on the non-arrival of five of the Sudan Railways '/ orkers' Union Representatives as on excuse for postponing the Conference sine die. Since then opposition to the present executive of the Federation has (i'rown rapidly and some thirty-six unions are reported to be about to issue an ultimatum to the Uxeautive Committee to call the Conference forthwith, failing which the dissenters will elect a now conriittee themselves.

141. Communism. A steady flow of literature, addressed to individuals and institutions from behind the Iron Curtian and from various Goninform agencies in the Middle East, continuen to reach the Sudan, The local Communists, following their international directive to promote and exploit any fissive tendencies within the free world, have always opposed the Cairo Agreement., an at.cont of cohesion. They were, therefore, elated at the deadlock in the Canal Zone -negotiations and its consequences. There is evidence, however, that they are showing signs of ill-ease, since they fear that tho resultant situation will provoke the Sudan Crovernmont into passing an Emergency Order under which large-scale arrests of Communists will b

CS/SCR/Registry, Khartoum, 18.5.53 x—•

En Clair by Confidential Bag.

FROM CAIRO TO, FOREIGN OFFICE Sir Ralph Stevenson No. 123 Saving 26th May, 1953 Repeated Saving to:- Addis Ababa No. 12f, Alexandria No. 13, Amman No. 19, Athens No. 11, Bagdad No. 23, Beirut No. 59, Benghazi ^o. 28, B.M.E.O. Fayid No. 208, Damascus No. 20, Jedda No. 26, ** Jerusalem No. 15, Karachi No. 13, Khartoum No. 36, Port Said Wo. 11, . Suez No. 12, Tel Aviv No. 16, Tripoli No. 17,

CftNBTOSNTIAL Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No. 123 Saving of 26th May, repeated for information Saving tot- Addis Ababa, Alexandria, Amman, Athens, Bagdad, Beirut, Benghazi, B.M.ii.O. Fayid, Damascus, Jedda, Jerusalem, Karachi, Khartoum, Port Said, Suez, Tel Aviv and Tripoli, Political Summary forjbhe period 7th - 19th.Fay. 1953. My telegram No. 112 .Saving. Mr. Dulles's warning against a resort to violence, ligyptian hopes of American intervention following his return to Washington, firm British counter measures against hostile Egyptian action in the Canal Zone, their own internal difficulties and the lack of any widespread support in the country generally for a policy of violence, hr.ve combined to discourage the C.R.C. from making any rash move. The domestic situation remains uneasy and the lack of enthusiasm towards members of the junta on tour has became more narked. Renewed efforts have been made to enforce price control, Internal 2. Evidence of the growing discontent with the Regime continues to accumulate. The moral*of the Wafd is said to be improving and even in the Moslem Brotherhood, a policy of caution Appears to be finding favour, at least *dth the more responsible elements. Uneasiness about the future has become acute, particularly in Coptic and foreign circles, where there is little confidence that the Army leaders will be able to find a way out of the Inpasse in which their intransigence has landed them. Tbe- Revolutipnary Command itself is increasingly aware of the popular discontent, and efforts hitherto unsuccessful, have been made to enlist/the services of certain political leaders to help in the Cabinet. / •»*• N-3 -2- 3. The l*t»*t tour in the provinces by Army leaders met with little success. At Suea, which was visited by the Minister of VJakfs .and members of the C.R.C. on the 15th and 16th May, talks to factory workers were cancelled and their main meeting, for which they were ill-advised enough to charge an entrance fee, was attended only by a small and unenthusiastic audience. 4.. Towards the end of the period under review there was a marked change of emphasis on the subject of action against British forces in the Canal Zone. The people were still assured that the armed struggle was coning; but the accent was on patience and preparation for.the time being so that the fight could be begun at a propitious moment and after adequate preparation. In his broadcast on 19th May (my telegram 831) General Neguib combined a call for patience and trust in the regime with a denunciation of subversive elements in the country whom he described as "imperialist tools, professing zeal for the national interests and religious precepts". This description presumably embraces both Wafdists and extremists among the Moslem Brotherhood who.clamour for immediate action in the Canal Zone. The speech, which is a clear indication that the regime ai& not in a position immediately to translate its brave words into action and also an apology for the lack of progress on the home front, is likely to bo interpreted as a sign of weakness and indecision. 5» On 13th May judgment was given in favour of the Moslem Brotherhood in the case of their claim for damages against the Government for the sequestration of their textile factory at the time of the proscription of the Brotherhood in 19^6. It was decided that it was not within the power of a military governor to order the confiscation of property and an expert of the Ministry of Justice was delegated to assess the damages. The regime, while not prepared to have its hand forced over the national aspirations, is nevertheless still concerned to do what it can to keep the Brotherhood sweet, 6. Vegetables have been in the headlines continuously. On 15th May it was announced that the Army would intervene to supervise the application of price control orders. Check posts to verify the arrival of supplies were to be set up on the outskirts of Cairo and Alexandria and officers did, in fact, reappear in the markets. This activity does not seem to have had any great effect so far but it is a measure of the C.R.C.'s efforts to allay popular discontent. ~\, The Constitutional Sub-Committee dealing with the system of govern- ment of the future republic (my Saving telegram No. 112 paragraph 4) » recommended on 11th May that the president should be directly elected by those eligible to vote for the Chamber of Deputies and for a period of five years, "vhich could be renewed once, 8. Following the approval on 6th May by the Council of Ministers of a decree law providing for the establishment of Deputy Ministers, Dr. Ali el Gereitly, Secretary-General of the National Bank, was appointed Deputy Minister of Finance (my saving telegram No. 115). It is reliably reported that he is being groomed to replace the present Minister of Finance, whose frequent disagreements with the Army leaders have on more than one occasion led to his tendering his resignation. 9. A second case under the anti-corruption law was announced on 13th May. The defendants are Kernel Kawish, former Governor of Cairo, and Mohammed Hassan, former Private Secretary to ex-King Farouk. The latter is accused of attempting to have the former made Attorney General, though, in fact, he only secured his appointment as Governor of Cairo. There has been no further action yet in the Karim Tabet case. The Minister of State has announced that certain cases against Fouad Serag el Din and other Wafdist ex-Ministers relating to sales and exchanges of state lands during their tenure of office have been dropped* 10. Lt.-Col. Carnal Abdel Naser has been given the official title of Vice- President of the C.R.C. /The Sudan ••"""""I'.'U.l.l g; iiivm rtttHlstuult i1, c. . ->•

The Sudan 11. The Sudan Government's declaration that it would continue to cr-rry out the Sudan Agreement to the full, whether or not the /.n^lo-Etiyptijin negotiations were successful, was greeted by hostile communt from Major Salen and the local press. 12. The Egyptian Government have enquired informally how H.M.G. would view the openin^ of negotiations with the Ethiopian Government concerning the storage of water in Lake Tsana (my sav. telegram NO. 109). Anglo-Egyptian Relations 13. On ?th May the Seyptinn Government v/ere informed thot their pr^-'sals regarding the Canal Zone were unacceptable. The immediate reaction was a sories of pronouncements by Egyptian leaders to the effect that they had never put their faith in negotiations and that rights should be won by force (my tel. No. 105 Saving). Press comment descended sharply from the restrained attitude adopted during the negotiations (my telegram No. 10? Saving) to increasingly bitter calls for armed action. This feeling was echoed by various politically active groups (my telegram No. 108 Saving) and the speeches of C.R.C. officers became more violent,

14. On 10th May General Neguib, speakint at the funeral of Egypt's unknown soldier, said that the Egyptians had "freed themselves from negotiations" and were eager to pay the price of independence in blood. He ended by calling upon the nation to prepare for the Jehad (my tel. No. 110 Saving). He followed this by a denunciation of your state- ment in the House of Commons on 11th May (my tel. No. 791). As indicated in paragraph 1+ above, a more cautious note was, however, struck in his broadcast of 19th May. 15» In view of the progressive deterioration in the situation, and the suggestion made on several occasions on the Egyptian side that in the event of a rupture of diplomatic relations, leading British subjects would be interned, I advised members of the British community on 19th May that those with no pressing reason to remain in Egypt should leave. 16. The'campaign of incidents' in the Canal Zone was made public for the first time on 13th May when the C.R.C. issued to foreign correspondents lists of "aggressive Britiuh acts". The local press was forbidden to publish this information, but Al Misry succeeded in printing a statement in general terms and thereafter accounts of specific incidents have been reported daily. The high rate of incidents reached in April continued into the beginning of the period under review. Since then the number has dropped considerably and organised vehicle thefts have virtually ceased. Folio-Ting reports of the influx of armed Egyptians in civilian clothes British military check-points were set up on 15th May on the roads leading into the Canal Zone. The Egyptian Government protested that this action was not calculated to ease the tension (my tel, NO, 814) but it appears nevertheless to have had no bad effect. 17. The Council of Ministers issued a decree on 13th May modifying the law controlling supplies to the British forces in the Canal Zone. This appears to have been intended primarily as a gesture for internal consumption. The situation already existing was not altered and no further restrictions were, in fact, imposed on contractors. 19, British troops in Egypt have been reinforced by the 3rd Commando Brigade. 19. The marked deterioration in the atmosphere during the first ten days of the period under review was followed by a "detente'.' Continued speculation by the press on the resumption of negotiations probably indicated anxiety on the part of the Egyptian Government to start the talks again and at his last press conference the Minister of National /Guidance r va fieference-'-

COPYR.QHT - HOT TO BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHICALLY WITHOUT PERMISSI ON

Guidance played down the seriousness of thu Canal Zone incidents. The regime apparently does not feel sufficiently secure to take tho- plunge, either into a complete breach, or into a resumption of talks, and its present posture most resembles that ascribed to the Earl of Chatham at Walcheren. Foreign Relations 20. Mr. Dulles, who visited Cairo from 11th May to 13th was erected by a chorus of hostile press comment to the effect that the United States was no better than Britain. Thtfafc rose to a howl of indignation after his first public statement which was felt to echo H.y.G.'s policy - e.g. as expounded in your statement on the same day (my tel. No. 733). However, the tone had moderated by the 13th May, when the emphasis was on .American mediation in the Canal Zone dispute, and certain payers believed that Mr, Dulles 'had modified his views while in Cairo (my telegram No. 795)• Since his departure there has been continuous speculation about American intervention to secure a resumption of negotiations as a result of his visit. 21. Mr. Dulles's ov/n conclusions were that the United States Government should continue publicly to stand with Britain; that our optimum requirements in the Canal Zone wore unobtainable and modifi- cation of them should be seriously considered; and that M.E.D.O, as at present conceived was also unobtainable. Having been warned by Mr. Dulles that any failure to keep order in the country would be very adversely regarded by the United States Government, General Neguib undertook to do his best to avoid incidents. (my telegram %. 793). 22. At their meeting in Cairo on 9th May the Foreign Ministers of the Arab League States adopted a resolution of the Arab League Political Committee pledging absolute support for Egypt in her dispute with Britain (niy telegram No. 77k)- A subsequent resolution announced that the Arab States would defend their own territory and would perfect tnsir own organisation for mutual defence. However, certain Arab problems, particularly those of Egypt and Palestine must first be settled. 23. Bofore his visit to Cairo Mr. Dulles gave instructions for a further delay in delivery of United States arms to Egypt, until he had been able to assess the situation at first hand (Washington telegram to Foreign Office No. 996). 24. Representatives of the Greek and Cypriot communities in Cairo celebrated Cyprus Day on 17th May at the promises of the Cultural Association of the Patriarchial Orthodox School. The Secretary of the Association, welcoming Lt.-Col. Anwar el Sadat, who represented the C.R.C. at the celebrations, said that the struggles being waged by Cyprus and Egypt were identical. Sadat spoke of the brotherhood of Egyptians and Cypriots in their fight against imperialism. V SAVING TELEGRAM /JAH En Glair LJl by Confidential Bag "~" FROM CAIRO TO FOREIGN OFFICE Sir Ralph Stevenson. No. 112 Date: 13th May, 1953. Repeated saving to:- Addis Ababa No, 13 Alexandria No. 11 Amman No. IS Athens No. 10 Bagdad No. 22 Beirut No. 54- Benghazi No. 2? B.M.E.O. Fayid No. Damascus No. 19 Jedda No. 25 Jerusalem No. llj. Karachi No. 12 Khartoum No. 35 Port Said No. 10 Suez No. 11 Tel Aviv No. 15 Tripoli No. 16

CONFIDENTIAL Addressed to Foreign Office Saving Telegram No. 112 of 13th Hay, 1953, repeated Saving for information to Addis Ababa, Alexandria. Amman, Athens, Bagdad, Beirut, Benghazi, B.il.E.O. Fayid, Damascus, Jedda, Jerusalem, Karachi, Khartoum, Port Said, Suez, Tel Aviv and Tripoli. Political Summary for the period 22nd April - 6th ay, My telegram No. SB Saving. J £l*l Discussions between Egypt and Great Britain on the future of the Canal Zone Base opened on 27th April and were pursued in an atmosphere which was to some extent improved by a rigid censorship of the Egyptian press on the subject. Incidents involving violence against the Canal Zone garrison increased however, and the Egyptian Government appeared to make little effort to control them. In the face of increasing dissatisfaction in the country and renewed activity by opposition elements the regime continued its attempts to gain domestic political support. Internal 2. Members of the Revolutionary Command have an increasingly sour reception on their tours an Sadat's visit to Port Said met with only limited succesrs. - - In both town and country there is widespread unempl&ymfnt;:a the regime have admitted this and proclaimed an allt-ou? L •? TO 3 71 / f^T'"! —* 2 "» onslaught on the problem. It was also announced that renewed measures to enforce price control would be taken, but there have been no signs of any effective action in this field yet. 3. Meanwhile al Hodeibi has made a tour of Upper Egypt (closely followed by a representative of the Army Movement to answer any Moslem Brotherhood propaganda) and the regime is reported to consider the Brotherhood largely responsible for the mixed reception it received on the Alexandria and other tours. It has'also been suggested that the tour of the Canal Zone (my tel. 679) was limited to a visit to Port Said because of opposition from the Brotherhood, whose attitude to the Liberation Group appears to be hardening. Although the Moslem Brotherhood is the only body :;which is able to stage an organised contest with the regime, there are reports that both Wafdists and Communists also participated in some of the unfriendly demonstrations during the tours, and both are clearly on the alert to exploit the regime's difficulties. I).. In the Constitutional Committee also there is reported to be a sharp cleavage of opinion. Although the whole committee endorsed the recommendation of the sub-committees regarding the establishment of a republican regime (ray tel. No. 106(S)) and although this issue may with General Neguib's declared support be considered to have been decided in principle, the religious issue continues unresolved. The Moslem Brotherhood press strongly for a thorough-going Islamic Constitution vrhich is being resisted by.Aly Maher and his supporters, including, of course, Coptic representatives. On this issue the regime has so far kept silence. 5« The first 5,OOC "Liberation Volunteers" to complete their "training" (including Cabinet Ministers) had a "Passing out parade" on 2^rd April before General Neguib and an enthusiastic multitude. 6. On 27th April the Cairo Courts ruled in answer to an appeal by Ahmed Hussein^ that the prosecutions arising out of the riots of 2£th January, 1952, constitute "political" cases and therefore fell within the schope of the amnesty of October last (Chancery letter '1011/338/52 of 18th October). 7. The family of Lt. Col, al Damanhouri, sentenced to death for his part in the Mehanna plot, are reported by al Tahrir to have petitioned General Neguib for his life, end tne paper adds that the sentence is expected to be commuted. S. The first real case to be brought under the anti- corruption laws was announced on l|th May. Kerim Tabet and Dr. al Nakib are to stand trial for their part in the affair of the £E.5*000 "commission" paid to the former by the al Moassat Hospital and in the "purge" of the Senate which followed its disclosure. Further charges against "twelve former politicians and a lady" are forecast for the near future. 9« The "Voice of Egypt" has been strengthened during the period by the inauguration'of a powerful new short—wave wireless transmitting station at Abu Zaabal. Ahmad abu'l Fath (of^al Misri) has purchased the Societu Oriental© do la Publicite, owners of the one Cairo English daily and of several French language newspapers. /The Sudan ^Th e •Suda n ", -'- - / / 10, A delegation of the UMMA party viiited Cairo from 22nd to 21|.th April and professed to be satisfied with the results of their conversations (my telegram No/ 693)' However, as their hopes centred'mainly on achieving early elections and some reduction in the volume of Egyptian subsidies to their political opponents in the Sudan, their satisfaction is unlikely to be of long duration. The Electoral Commission's decision that election^ could not be held before 15th October was announced on 6th May. llv In the Sudan sub-Committee in Cairo the Egyptian representative raised the question of Sudanese representation at international technical conferences (my telegram No. 7V9) and also attempted to link the question of Southern Sudanese visiting London as members of the Sudanese delegation to the Coronation with the Governor-General's opposition to a visit of a Southern delegation to Cairo at the present time (my telegram No, 234- to Khartoum). - , Anglo-Egyptian Relations . 12. The policy of "mobilising national feeling" v/as vigorously pursued (my telegram No. 96(S)) until the openingof the negotiations on 27th April, when the Egyptian Government imposed a rigid ban on press comment and speculation. Newspapers were permitted to print no more than a factual account of the comings &nd (TOings of the delegations and the official communique issued at the end of each meeting. Prompt action was taken against al Ahram when that paper was incautious enough to attribute an "anti-British" remark to Colonel Abdel Nasr. The Rector of Al Azhar, the Coptic Patriarch and the Grand Rabbi adjured the nation to stand united in the common cause, 13- General Negulb and his colleagues entered the talks in a mood of "restrained optimism" according to statements made to the B.B.C. and United Press correspondents in Cairo (my telegrams Nos* 696 and 702) and the optimism of the Egyptians was apparently increased as a result of the British Delegation's general statements at the first meeting (my telegram No. 697)* With the consideration 'of the terms of reference of the technical sub-committees at the second meeting, however, a sharp difference emerged, the Egyptians wishing to frame the terms of reference so as to decide in advance questions of principle involved in the control of the Base and its installations (my telegram No. 707). The third and fourth meetings dealt with the problems of British technical management and the duration of any arrangements which might be agreed upon (my telegrams Nos. 715 &nd 73^), without achieving any significant rapprochement between the views of the two sides. An inconclusive fifth meeting on 5th May (my telegram No. 750) was spent discussing the degree of British management which would be acceptable to ourselves, •while the Egyptians maintained that the only alternative, to complete Egyptian control (and eventual possession) of the Base area and everything in it would be prompt British removal "bag and baggage". No advance was made on this position at the sixth meeting on 6th I-Iay, c.nd the discussions were accordingly adjourned sine die. The complete embargo on the subject in the press was a"C once removed though the editors clearly remained on a tight rein and Colonel Abdel Hasr made a statement Justifying the Egyptian attitude which v/as echoed approvingly in air editorial comment (rny telegram /No No. 102 (S)). An unidentified "responsible source" was quoted as having said that if the British would not come to terms there was "ample room in the field of struggle for every Egyptian until the liberty, independence and sovereignty of the dear Motherland were realised." 114.. 'The intensification of the violent incidents in the Canal zone (my telegrams Nos. 593 etc.) and a shift in emphasis from vehicle stealing to more blatantly murderous attacks, recalled the evo.vts of the autumn of 1951» There was evidence tha»t the campaign was being organised by the Egyptian Army (though Neguib and Fawzi naturally denied it hotdrly when taxed with it), and it reached a scale which obliged the British forces to take counter-measures in the form of armed road patrols and road blocks. The Egyptian Government, despite frequent representations, did not manage to exert effective control in the matter, even during the course of the negotiations. It may bo that they were not prepared to put the machine into reverse until they were satisfied about the outcome of the talks. Foreign Relations. 15» As tho inevitable result of the attitude which she adopted over the Canal Zone problem, Egypt proceeded more and more to espouse, as a debating point at least, the "neutralist" standpoint in the East-West conflict, and proclamations of solidarity with such countries as Indonesia naturally followed. Nevertheless the regime continued its private assurances that, in the last resort, its interests would coincide with those of the West. Efforts to buy arms in Greece, Holland, Italy, Sweden, Portugal and the U.S. were pursued. 16« The visit of President Shamoun of the Lebanon was the occasion for further fulsome tributes to the. cause of Arab solidarity, but it appears that the Lebanese are by no means as convinced as the Egyptians of the wisdom of dismantling the main defence structure in the Middle East at the present time. The Foreign Ministers of all the Arab States are due to meet in Cairo on 7th May to discuss this problem and that of a common policy to be adopted on the occasion of the forthcoming visit of Mr. Dulles, U»S. Secretary of State. STEVENSON. COPYRIGHT - MOT TO BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHICALLY WITHOUT PERHISSION

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SUP AT POLITICAL IlTELLIGSrCB SUMMAHE Fo. 4 of 1955 RIL. 1953.

130. The General Situation. Mr. Selwyn Lloyd, Her Majesty's Minister of State, visited Khartoum from March 21st to March 27th. During this period he met the two Sayeds, the leaders of the northern political parties, representatives of the Juba Political Committee, and senior Government officials, The problem of the two Sudanese members of the Governor-General's Commission, described in last month's Summary, was settled by Her Majesty's Government's acceptance of S^yed Dardiri Mohamned Osman. By the middle of March, it had become evident that Sayed All .had specifically expressed his prefei-enoe for Sayed Dardiri over Sayed Mohammed El Haas an Diab. The Umma and S.n.r.- leaders who were consult od by Mr. Selwyn Lloyd, advised the British Government 's acceptance of Sayed Dardiri in the interests of a speedy decision. Her Majesty's Government accepted, the Egyptian decree appointing the Commission was signed, and the first meeting of the Commission was held o.n April 2nd. At this meeting the Commission unanimously agreed to His Excellency's suggestions on the Sudanese members of the 3 loot oral Commission, namely Sayed Abdel Salon Atdulla, Bimbaahi Khalafalla JChalid ana Gordon Bulli. Me awhile the American represent ative, Mr .Warwick ParteLns had arrived in Khartoum and the Commission wns able to hold its first meeting on April 8th and get to work v/ithout further delay. revert he less, the chances of elections before the rains, which seemed possible a month ago, have grown extremely remote, The Self -Government Statute was signed by His Excellency thu Governor-General on March 21st at a short ceremony held in the Palace and attended by Es Sayed El Taiyib Hussein, Sir Lawrence Grafftey-Smith, Major Salah Salim and members of the Executive Council. The signing marked the legal foundation of Self -Government although the actual machinery cannot come into operation until the Senate, the House of Representatives and the Council of Ministers have been set up. The arrival in Khartoum of the Yi'nfdist ex Foreign Minister, Dr.Motinmned Salah Ed Din and two Egyptian advocates was referred to in last month's Summary. Government's refusal to permit them permits to enter the Closed Districts area of the South was t'lken up by the Egyptian Government in a series of abrupt telegrams of protest from General reguib to His Excellency the Governor-General, Kis Excellency's refusal, nnd the Egyptian Government's fear that their failure to compel the Sudan Government to taloj orders from Cairo would seriously embarrass them with potentially powerful Wafd. elements in the country, induced them to adopt other tactics. They -T.sked that -UtT. Salah" . Ed Din should be permitted to go to Juba only for a strictly limited period and subject to any restrictions which the Sudan Government wished to impose. Approval for a two day visit was thereupon given on March 23rd, but Dr.Snlah Ed Din refused to acoupt any limit sit ion and cancelled his southern plans. Instead *«/«r«nc«.- 1 1 ! ! 1 I

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he visited in the latter part of March and early April the Gecira, Atbara, Port Sudan and El Obeid, and returned to Cairo on April 10th. In the Three Towns and wherever he visited in the Pro-vinous Dr. Salah Ed Din made a series of strongly anti-British speeches. Eis receptions were less enthusiastic • than was expected, and his close association with the 1T,TJ,T», .in all his activities oauaed the Egyptian Government some embarrassment. Egyptian propaganda has continued to be extremely active throughout the period under review. Early in April a party of 25 tribal leaders from Eordof an including a number of Tuba Heirs was flovm to Cairo as guests of the Egyptian Government for a fortnight's tour of the country, Tha number of Egyptian visitors to the Sudan shov/s no decrease, and Misr Airwork are about to double their Cairo/Khartoum service. AbduHa Abdel Rahman Tujdulla - in cooperation it is reported with an Egyptian journalist - has drafted a constitution for a Sudan Liberation Group similar to that existing in Egypt. Apparently the object of the Group is that it shall embrace , all classes of people, and-although it will act in cooperation with Parliament it will cut across political parties and loyalties. ItB first object is stated to be the liberation of the Sudan from any foreign element whether political, economical or military. Egyptian liberation Group badges are being sold openly "in the Three Towns, A Press report on April 13th that the Egyptian Government hnd bought Hayed Abdel Rahman El Mahdi's Cotton Crop A? as immediately denied by tho Doira. The case of Sultan Jnnbo of the Moru tribe of Squateria, has been fully exploited by both the Egyptian press and radio, and the 1T.U.P. and a number of IT.U.P. politicians were present in jJqu?vtoria at the tine of the Moru meeting and in direct contact with Sultan Jambo. Fevertheless criticism of" the administration in the Southern Provinces has eased off considerably since Mr.Selwyn Lloyd saw General Teguib in Cairo at the end of March, and since Yagoub Osman the Urania representative returned to Khartoum from his Southern tour, ( It is evident that he was unable to support his extreme i telegraphic reports by any evidence satisfactory to the party, / Major Halah Salim spent a busy ten days in Khartoum in the latter part of March.. He appears to have been sent in order to watch Dr.Mohammed Salah Ed Din's activities and to counter the harm to Egyptian interests which the doctor's extremely close association with the F.U.P. was causing. An incident which led to a certain amount of press report occurred on March 27th, when Major Salah Salim accepted an invitation to tea with Yousbashi Youeef Ismail KLbeida, t SJ).]?.Signals, and a small group of S.D.F.officers. At the conclusion of the party the Yousbashi presented Major Salah Salim with two S.D.P.bodges, one for himself and one for General ITeguib, Jftf«r«ncti- 1 I '\ I | Po3T7///£>«a70| 1I3L&1 1 2 JJ I II 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I COPYRIGHT - NOT TO BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHICALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION

V 3. . .

The Unity of the Joint Parties Committee Tine begun to show signs of instability as the parties themselves have . increased their selection campaign nativities. The Int3.epena.enta are most anxious however to avoid any difference or dispute uhich night be taken by the Unionists as grounds for declaring a boycott of the <&eot ions. • The Committee appear to have abandoned once again all idea of a Joint Delegation visiting the An estimate made in this office of the probable results in the Fort lie rn Provinces were elections to be held at once gives 33 seats to the Umma, 16 to the 3.H.P., 3 to the Wat an and 18 to the 1T.U.P. A beginning has been made in the establishment of a United kingdom Trnde Coramission in Khartoum, and Mr.D,M.H. Hiohes arrived in the latter part of March to set up the necessary organisation.

131. THB UMMA PAIgY The party held a number of meetings during the half of April to select their election candidates and to plan their onmrmign. A. series of province tours led by Saveds Siddik and 131 Hndi, Abdulla Bey Ehalil and Sayed Abdullahi El 3?idil has been arranged for the latter part of the month, and a sum of IE. 30,000 is reported to have been voted for election expenses. In the first YJeek in April there were signs of an approach towards the S.H.P., and Sayed Ibrahim Bad ri called upon Sayed Abdel Rahman. There are some indications of a :rapT>iochenen,'b between the two parties in the face of increasingly successful F.U.r. activity. It is reported thnt the party intend to send a delegation to the F5outh before the end of April.

132. TE3 SOCI/JiIST ^PUBLIC. UT The position and strength of the party is difficult to assess at tho present moment. H^ed Ali's expressed preference for Sayud Dardiri Mohrflned Qsman over Bryed Mohammed £1 Hassan Diab threw the IQi^tnia into some confusion and it is not oasy to «1udge Rayed Ali's present attitude tov/ards the FS.n.P. on the one hand and the 1T.U.7. on the 'other. lTo vert he less it is evident that the S.H.P. have lost a lot of. ground during the pnst two or three months, and that their strength as a party has seriously declined. A delegation is reported to be leaving for the South shortly. PUBLIJL RECORD OFFICE i i $ 4 a titfertnce:-

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133. THE ' USPPY PABTY. The Party has been extremely active. Represent at ive« hscva visited not only the ITorthern and Western Sudan and the Gezira, but have made a number of extensive tours, in the South where they are believed to have been successful in nominating O".nlidnte3 and securing adherents* They appear to be well supplied with funds,

134. LABOUR, Tho rift between moderates and extremists within j the Trade Unions is growing. An Extraordinary Conference I of all Unions has been called for April 25th. The Federation has made it a condition that only unions who shall pay in advance the whole of their subscriptions due for the yenr ahall be permitted to attend and take part. A number of moderate unions are determined to pay although the condition ia one that was never previously imposed, •

135, OOMHUHISM. . . Literiture addressed from various Iron Curtain countries to individuals, newspapers and bodies, including VJomen1 s Movements, has been reaching the Sudan in increasing quantity. • Having lost ground over their opposition to the Cairo Agreement the Communists appear to be attempting to re-estp.blish their position by calling for a General National Conference to oppose colonisation and the Middle Bast Tact.

SCH/36.B.15/1

CS/SCR/Registry, Ehartoum, 19,4.1953,