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TO LEAVE
EGYPT
All British
;// Forces
CAIRO. May 7 (A,A.P.).'. :
: 1 The' British 'Embassy has Issued
a', statement declaring ; ' "The 'B'ri -
:tlsh Government have proposed-' to
withdraw - all. British naval,; miii-;
tary, ana . a)r. forces from 'Egyptian:
territory." .. ..
After - announcing the /proposal
to--, withdraw British- forces, the
Statement /adds- further /that it
was -proposed ." to; settle ; the stages
and ;. date; of completion . of the
.withdrawal; and arrangements to
be made by. the Egyptian. Govern
ment 'to -make possible, mutual
assistance, in . time of war or im
minent threat of war in accord
ance with/ the alliance."
: Reuter's .. .correspondent . in
Cairo says -observers close , to the
Egyptian "delegation,, express - the
-View'', that/ negotiations /to /settle,
the stages and date of comple
tion of- the British evacuation
would be. completed -under a fort
night. The Egyptians were very
satisfied with- the. British state
ment; which left no doubt about
British intentions.- .
:: "It is the British Government's
settled policy , to consolidate the
alliance with Egypt as, one be
tween .equal nations with com
mon interests. Negotiations have"
begun '.in an atmosphere, of .cor
diality and good will." . ; .
' The British Embassy statement
was Issued on: behalf of the-' Brl-',
tish 'delegation negotiating- forj.-a'
revision of the .'Ariglo-Egyptiah.
treaty,'"!n view of the general
speculation on the . subject of the
treaty ! negotiations."
Jt was , Issued with the' concur-,
rence" of; the Egyptian Premier
(Sidky; Pasha).' , v .
Observers in Cairo believe that'
the . primary, idea behind the
British /Plan for. a- gradual , with
drawal !ffom Egypt is to , give the
Egyptians time to increase; their
armed, . forces and become. /pos
sessed .'of , the latest scientific wea
pons and conceptions of war.!
Informed quarters interpret the
British statement as emphasising
that, while the British withdrawal
is a comparatively simple military
operation, the question- is bound
up with , the ' whole question, of.
Middle' East, defence.
An ' Immense operation: is/ in-!
volved in the proposed- withdrawal
of British' forces from Egyptian
territory. ' 'A' -huge -organisation
has been built Hip In , Egypt, /and
vast, complex- defences have' been
established and maintained , there.
Railway workshops, depots and
air fields- have -been built , at'- a-
huge, cost.. Total .war stores- in
Egypt at present -are estimated at
'£120,000,000. '-' ' ' ' J '
$