THE UNITED NATIONS: Road to Suez

The first question before the Security Council was: What is Egypt's mood on the Suez question, hard or malleable? Foreign Minister Mahmoud Fawzi, whose ability as a diplomat is best described by the fact that he has held top jobs under both King Farouk and President Nasser, leaned over the horseshoe table and started to talk. First, bald Mahmoud Fawzi recited in his soft voice Egypt's familiar grievances against the French and British. Then he purred: "Foremost in importance [is] a system of cooperation between the Egyptian authority operating the Suez canal...