Word: nasser
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...agreed not to federate, as first proposed, but to merge. They are to become one republic, with one President, one legislative house, one flag, one army. The Parliaments of both countries are scheduled to meet this week in Cairo and Damascus to nominate a presidential candidate-expected to be Nasser. "I am pleased now to accomplish my national Arab mission and hand over this dear trust to President Gamal Abdel Nasser, the young enthusiastic Arab who is full of loyalty to the Arab nation," declaimed the aging Kuwatly...
...poverty-stricken; Syria is fairly prosperous, with a living standard higher than Egypt's, sounder currency and a more viable economy. But curiously, the initiative for merger came from Syria. The reasons lie in the tangled skeins of Syrian politics. Three weeks ago Syria's pro-Nasser nationalists became seriously alarmed at Communist gains, especially inside the Syrian army. Pro-Russian Defense Minister Khaled el Azm was talking of forming his own political party, and was given a good chance of supplanting the ailing Kuwatly as President...
Kuwatly's nationalists, who had always favored federation, suddenly realized that federation would still leave the way clear for Khaled el Azm to become President of Syria, began pressing Nasser for an outright merger. Nasser, who not only shared their misgivings but saw a chance to regain the Arab world leadership lost by his ignominious Sinai defeat at the hands of Israel, set one big condition. He demanded that the Syrians agree to dissolve all parties in the merger, and accept a single Nasserite National Union such as he has formed in Egypt. Kuwatly and other nationalists agreed...
...Russians were not happy about the move, and reportedly let the Syrians know that if their state was swallowed up, the promised Soviet aid program was off. Washington was also concerned at possible effects on the delicate balance in the Middle East. If Nasser had hoped to turn the Middle East's eyes from the Baghdad Pact meeting, he had dramatically succeeded...
...often before, e.g., when he nationalized the Suez Canal after the U.S. rebuffed his bid for Aswan Dam aid, Nasser had counterpunched. But it was too early to tell whether this time he had counterpunched at the Western sponsors of the Baghdad Pact or the Soviet sponsors of subversion in Syria-or both...