Some History about the Owen Falls Dam

Owen Falls Dam

HC Deb 26 November 1956 vol 561 cc3-43

§3. Mr. Langford-Holt 

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what arrangements have been made with the Government of Egypt for the control by Egyptian engineers of the Owen Falls Dam although this dam is situated in British territory; and what communications have passed between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of Egypt on the subject in the last four months.

§Mr. Dodds-Parker 

The arrangements for the control by Egyptian engineers of the Owen Falls Dam are embodied in the Exchange of Notes between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of Egypt dated 30th May, 1949, to 20th March, 1950 (Cmd. 9642), particularly paragraph 4 of the first Note. The answer to the second part of my hon. Friend's Question is that no communications have passed between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of Egypt on the subject in the last four months.

4

§Mr. Langford-Holt 

As the Egyptian Government now believe that it is incompatible with their sovereignty to have British nationals in their territory, would my hon. Friend now take steps to ask these gentlemen to leave our British territory immediately?

§Mr. Dodds-Parker 

No, Sir; Her Majesty's Government do not propose to interfere with the legitimate activities of the Egyptian engineers.

§Mr. Younger 

Is the Joint Under-Secretary aware that the House will, I am sure, be broadly in agreement with what he has just said? In this connection, does he not think that it was rather unworthy of his right hon. Friend the Minister of Defence the other day to appear to be boasting in public that we could have starved out the whole Egyptian people had we so wished?

§Mr. Dodds-Parker 

No, I cannot accept any such imputation on my right hon. Friend. As we have said in the past, the Owen Falls arrangements show that Her Majesty's Government are ready to recognise the rights of the users in such cases.