Egypt Halts Another Ship at Suez; Suspects” Chartered by Israel

Another ship was detained this morning by the Egyptian authorities at the entrance of the Suez Canal as part of the renewed campaign by the United Arab Republic to halt ships suspected of carrying Israeli cargo, it was learned here today. The ship, the Norwegian freighter “Nord,” was halted at Port Said “on suspicion” that it is chartered to an Israeli firm.

The Nord was attempting to go through the Suez Canal en route from Antwerp to Japan, carrying a cargo of scrap iron. The Norwegian vessel is tied up at a Port Said dock near the Danish Inge Toft. The latter, en route from Haifa to the Far East, was halted on May 23 and is still in dock, the captain of the vessel refusing to unload the cargo which the U. A. R. decided to confiscate.

U. N. Secretary General Hammarskjold said last week that he was going to Cairo to discuss with the Egyptian authorities the Inge Toft issue. Yesterday he discussed the Suez issue for a full hour with Joseph Tekoah, Israel’s permament acting representative here. Tomorrow, Mr. Hammarskjold is holding a press conference at which he will, it is expected, answer questions concerning Egypt’s action in preventing the passage of ships carrying Israeli cargo.

At the same time, it became known here today that Mr. Hammarskjold has completed his long-promised report on the Arab refugee problem, and there was a distinct possibility that report may be issued here tomorrow.

The U. N. Chief is under instructions from last winter’s General Assembly to prepare an Arab refugee report. The mandate for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Arab Refugees expire June 30, 1960, and the General Assembly must make plans at its next session, beginning in September, for further care of the Arab refugees beyond the summer of 1960. Mr. Hammarskjold’s report will deal with that issue and will, presumably, recommend plans for further care of the Arab refugees.