The British Foreign Office is deeply concerned over the United States move last week in proposing that the Egyptian counter-complaint against Israel and Israel’s complaint against the Egyptian blockade of the Suez Canal be made part of the same agenda item at the United Nations Security Council, it was learned here today.
Although the Foreign Office refuses to comment on the American move, which gave the Arabs a diplomatic victory early in the Security Council’s consideration of the Israeli complaint, it was learned unofficially that there is a great deal of high level concern on the impossibility of achieving an identity of views among the Western Big Three on what the British consider a matter of great importance.
Britain, it was pointed out, would have liked to see a complete airing of the Sues Canal question – if only because the matter had not been handled during the direct Anglo-Egyptian talks, for fear of further complicating them. There is a feeling here that the Security Council will soon be faced with the alternatives of adopting a lukewarm resolution favoring one or the other party, or becoming snarled in a marathon debate which will end up without concrete action of any sort.
It is expected here that the British, although they fell in line with the American “compromise” at the Security Council, will pursue with renewed vigor their demand for high level and conclusive talks on establishing a mutual policy on the Middle East.
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