The Foreign Ministry received a letter from Lt. Gen. Odd Bull last night believed to state Egypt’s plans to proceed with clearing the southern end of the Suez Canal in order to free 15 merchant ships stranded there since last June when the canal was shut down by the Egyptians. Gen. Bull heads the United Nations’ cease-fire observer corps in the Middle East.
The Foreign Ministry refused to disclose the contents of the letter which is believed to be couched in general terms. Israel has insisted that it be informed in detail of every move the Egyptians intend to make in the canal. According to the Egyptian-Israel cease-fire terms, neither party is permitted to use the canal without the agreement of the other.
(In London, Foreign Secretary Brown told the House of Commons that he had “very great hopes” that the four British ships trapped in the Great Bitter Lake “will be out in the reasonably near future.” Mr. Brown said the Government is “in constant touch with the United Arab Republic authorities” on the matter and that the Ambassador in Cairo has been given a time-table of the survey work necessary to clearing the southern end of the canal.)
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