CAIRO, March 28, 1957 (UP) -- Egypt announced today the Suez Canal will be open to normal traffic about Apr. 10. It said Egypt will run the canal alone with no foreign supervision whatsoever." Wing commander Ali Sabry, President Gamal Abdel Nasser's chief political aide, made the announcement.
Sabry said British and French ships would be permitted to use the canal if they pay tolls to Egypt. He did not mention Israel specifically but said "no distinction will be drawn between one country and another."
He said Egypt believed UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold left Cairo "convinced of the soundness of our position." The UN leader was conferring with his aides in New York today.
Egypt plans to allocate a higher percentage of tolls to the development of the canal than the old private company, Sabry said.
He said Egypt would not recognize the Western-proposed Suez Canal Users Association (SCUA) because it "cannot give preference to one group of nations over another."
Sabry said Egypt would cooperate with all users but did not specify just how.
At present, ships only up to 2,500 tons can navigate the canal and Egypt probably will publish its plan to operate the waterway alone before the canal is open to full use.
