Coll 15/5 'EGYPT British community in Egypt: problems of post-war reconstruction' [‎22r] (43/68)

/•■that this would be the ideal solution from two points of
view. First because as part of a general trading agreement
it would be ^ore easy to get the assent of the iSgyptian
Government than if it were presented as a demand for a special
eoncession. Secondly because as a clause of a Treaty it would
have permanent and indisputable validity. Dn the other hand
it is realised that the application of the M.F.N, principle
would have the effect of giving to all other nations making
Treaties with Egypt a similar advantage. Apart from the fact
that no special advantage would therefore accrue to British
Trade from such a clause in a Commercial or Establishment
Treaty, it seems clear that the Egyptian Government would be
/ }v/'..wthe less ready to give such a concession to HMG Her or His Majesty’s Government in London. if they knew
that it would enure to the advantage of many other nations too.
21. To overcome the difficulty above referred to it is
suggested that the concession might be asked for, either in a
Treaty or by some other binding agreement between HMG Her or His Majesty’s Government in London. and the
Egyptian Government on the basis of reciprocity. It is under
stood that under the regulations in force before the war in
0 the United Kingdom, whereas the general rule was that all aliens
entering the United Kingdom foi* the purpose of taking up employ-
ument must hold a permit from the Ministry of Labour, there were
a considerable number of exceptions, particularly in the follow
ing cases:
(i) Aliens intending to enter into partnerships;
(ii) Qualified agents of firms established outside
the United Kingdom;
(iii) Direct representatives of a foreign firm who
would continue to be paid and controlled from
abroad by that firm; and
(iv) Aliens coming to be employed for liaison work
in a branch or selling establishment in the
United Kingdom by a foreign firm, and paid and
controlled by the parent house and not by the
branch or selling agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. in the United Kingdom,
Reciprocal concessions on these lines would go some way to
meet the requirements of British establishments in Egypt, as
far as the administrative staffs are concerned. It is not
known how far, if at all, it will be possible to extend such
general exceptions in the United Kingdom to cover technicians
who cannot be engaged locally, whereas in the case of the
United Kingdom and Egypt the result of such a reciprocal
agreement would act almost entirely in favour of the British
technician desiring to enter Egypt, it is appreciated that in
the case of other countries this would not be the case. If it
is not found possible to cover such persons and the other
administrative staff not already covered in classes (i) - (iv)
above by an extension of the general exceptions, perhaps a
special agreement could be come to v/ith the Egyptian Government
also on a reciprocal basis whereby the respective Ministers of
Labour undertake to grant the necessary permits,
22. As an alternative or subsidiary method of obtaining the
right/