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France, Britain Launch U.N. Action Against Egyptian Expulsions

December 19, 1956
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France and Britain late today started their threatened drive against Egyptian mistreatment of their nationals before the General Assembly here. Israel, in a separate action, has brought to the attention of the Assembly President, Prince Wan Waithaykon, and Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold the maltreatment of Jews by the Cairo Government.

Like Israel, both France and Britain accused Egypt of violating the United Nations Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Geneva Convention of 1949 which guarantees the safety of civilian foreigners in a country at war.

France informed the Assembly that 3,762 of its nationals have been expelled, while Britain stated that 2,550 of its subjects had been ordered by Cairo to depart by Dec.10.

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Mahmoud Fawzi denied the Franco-British accusations, accusing them, instead, of infractions of the UN Charter. Several Arab League spokesmen, including the representatives of Sudan, Iraq and Syria, upheld the Egyptian viewpoint.

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