The Revolution and pacts (5) ‘Delaying tactics'. In a 'Stop Press' item, The Egyptian Gazette of January 24, 1955, published a brief statement on Egypt's reaction to the creation of the Baghdad Pact. Headlined : PM explains, the report said: “Prime Minister Gamal Abdul Nasser at last night's Cabinet meeting explained the development in the Arab situation and informed the Cabinet of the following steps to be taken by Egypt in the event of Iraq insisting on signing the Turco-Iraqi pact.” Under another headline: Delaying tactics, in the same Stop Press item, The Egyptian Gazette said: “A responsible source, commenting on the joint statement about the proposal that Premier Gamal Abdul Nasser and Iraqi Premier Nury el-Said should meet in Beirut, said that this could only mean that the matter was no longer in the hands of the Egyptian Premier, or Nury el-Said, but rested with the Arab States.” Finally, when Turkey made an official offer to Egypt to sign a similar pact, rejection was the immediate reply. Headlined: Egypt rejects pacts offer by Turkey a front-page report in The Egyptian Gazette of January 26, 1956 said: “The Egyptian Government has rejected the Turkish government's official offer to sign with Turkey a pact identical to the projected Turko-Iraqi Pact. “This offer, it is learned was communicated by Mr Rifki Zorlu, the Turkish Ambassador in Cairo, upon instructions from Ankara, to Dr Mahmoud Fawzy, Minister of Foreign Affairs at a meeting he had with him on Sunday. “The Turkish Ambassador had also assured Dr Mahmoud Fawzy of his government's sincere desire to consolidate its relations with Egypt and all the other Arab countries. “It is emphasised by well informed circles that the Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs has explained to the Turkish Ambassador that the Egyptian Government's policy repeatedly declared that it will not accept bilateral arrangements or alliances outside the framework of the Arab League and that Egypt, considering the Arab Collective Security Pact the best system for defending the area, insists on refusing to sign any defence pact with Turkey.” [email protected]
