Britain Insists on Egypt’s Lifting of Suez Blockade; Will Accept No Compromise

Observers here expressed the belief today that the U.N. Security Council will have to pass the three-power resolution calling on Egypt to lift its anti-Israel blockade at the Suez Canal since they see no chance of success for Turkey’s attempt to get Egypt to settle the matter out of court.

A spokesman for the British delegation today ruled out the possibility of a compromise, declaring that “a compromise is not what we want. What we want is the lifting of restrictions on shipping through the Suez Canal,” The spokesman indicated clearly that Britain would demand either the lifting of the blockade or passage of the resolution.

The scheduled vote on the resolution was postponed until next Monday at the request of Turkish delegate Selim Sarper who asserted that he was certain that there was another method which would achieve the lifting of the blockade besides passage of the three-power resolution in the Council. Informed sources see behind Mr. Sarper’s request the meeting in Cairo last Saturday night between Abdul Rahman Azzam Pasha, secretary general of the Arab League, and the Turkish Ambassador to Egypt, during which Azzam Pasha reportedly accused Turkey of double dealing in professing friendship for the Arabs while supporting the resolution in the Security Council.

(In London, British sources said today that new Egyptian proposals, reported there as the basis for Turkey’s request for deferment of Security Council action on the Suez blockade, might be a red herring to delay passage of the resolution or “an attempt to bring the Egyptian action into line with armistice agreement requirements.” They added that if it were the latter, it would not do away with the general British complaint which asks removal of all restrictions on shipping through the Canal.)

The report on the Huleh situation by Lt. Gen. William E. Riley, U.N. truce supervisor in Palestine, received at U.N. headquarters yesterday is regarded here as an interim report. There are indications that the Security Council will not discuss it, but will await Gen. Riley’s final report and recommendations. Yesterday’s report contained no recommendations and no conclusions.