No. 1348
Editorial Note
On July 27, 1954, British and Egyptian negotiators initialed the “Heads of Agreement” document, which established a set of agreements in principle to govern future British use of the Suez Canal base in time of war and to guide the representatives of the two governments in their continuing efforts to negotiate a definitive accord. The Heads of Agreement was to last for 7 years without provision for extension; it provided for the British withdrawal of troops from the canal zone within months of its signature; 1,200 civilian technicians were to maintain the base, of whom 800 could be from outside Egypt; and the British could unilaterally remilitarize the base only if there was a direct attack upon Egypt. In the event of an emergency or a threatened attack, Egypt’s obligation was confined merely to consultation with the United Kingdom. Additionally, the field of aggression, direct or threatened, was restricted in the Middle East to Egypt or any other Arab state and to Turkey. Iran and Israel were excluded. The accord also recognized the Suez Canal as an integral part of Egypt; the United Kingdom was to have the same status as other users of the waterway; and Egypt pledged its adherence to the principles of the 1888 Convention of Constantinople concerning the free use of the Suez Canal by all nations. For the text, see British Cmd. 9230, Egypt No. 1 (1954).
Negotiations continued on the definitive agreement, and on October 19, 1954, representatives of Egypt and the United Kingdom signed a final agreement which abrogated and replaced the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of 1936. The instruments of ratification of the Anglo-Egyptian Agreement were exchanged in Cairo on December 6, 1954. Materials describing the complex problems and complicated progress of these final negotiations are in Department of State [Page 2289] file 641.74. For the text of the October agreement, see British Cmd. 9298, Egypt No. 2 (1954).