The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 1929. THE EGYPTIAN TREATY.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 August 1929, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 1929. THE EGYPTIAN TREATY.

The announcement of the terms of the Egyptian Treaty caused Jess public interest than might have been expected, but probably the situation was overshadowed by the proceedings at The Hague, where Mr Phillip Snowden delivered his memorable speech on a subject of more immediate moment internationally than the situation in I Egypt. The Prime Minister of Britain in advance of the publication of , the terms of the proposed treaty, stated publicly that nothing that his Government contemplated doing in regard to Egypt should, cause the least uneasiness or could jeopardise in any way the security of the Empire. Opinions may well differ, says a contemporary, as to how far the .text of the proposed treaty between Britain and Egypt bears out this declaration For it includes several important conditions, which, if carried into effect, milst seriously affect Britain’s future relations with Egypt, and may quite conceivably involve her in difficulties with other Powers as well. "When in 1922 the British Protectorate was withdrawn and Egypt received almost complete independence, Britain made certain reservations in regard to which she still claimed for herself liberty of action. These concerned the protection of the Suez Canal, the defence of the country against foreign aggression, the

care of foreign interests and minorities, and the protection of the Sudan. In several of these particulars the proposed treaty means a complete departure from the agreement of 1922. Britain now recommends the abolition of the capitulations 'by which the rights of foreigners in Egypt have hitherto been protected, divests herself of all responsibility for the lives. and interests of foreign residents, terminates “the military occupation of Egypt,” and entrusts the protection of the Canal to a force conlined to a limited area close to the eastern boundary. The only particular in which the agreement oil 1922 appears to be wholly unaltered is the defence of the Sudan, and here Egypt is still compelled to depend largely upon Britain’s aid to secure her southern frontiers—and what is even more important—her indispensable water supply. In certain respects an attempt is made to guard against the possible intrusion of foreign factors hostile to Britain. If foreign military instructors are employed by the Egyptian 'Government they are to be British, and when foreign officials are appointed for civil and administrative purposes the Egyptian Government will ‘as a rule” engage British subjects. But these provisions depend so clearly upon the maintenance of amicable relations between Egypt and Britain that they have small value as positive safeguards. On the whole, the impression produced by. this draft treaty is that the British Government has been more anxious to placate the Egyptian Nationalists than to ensure the safety oi Britain’s imperial interests, and the tone of the newspaper comment so far available certainly bears out this, view of the.case. The withdrawal of British troops is likely to encourage the Egyptians to ignore the rights of foreigners, and if Britain thus retires from her dominant position in Egypt some other Power, on the pretext of protecting the interests of its “nationals,” may attempt to take her place. As to the measure of protection afforded to the Suez Canal, this seems sufficient in peace time, but wholly inadequate in case of war. Fortunately all these proposals will be discussed at length by Parliament, but what we now know of this draft treaty appears to justify much of the adverse criticism that it has already evoked.