LOGAN SIR DONALD B 1917 SUEZ CRISIS

Account of discussions at Sevres, 22-25 October 1956, between French, British and Israeli ministers, concerning the Suez Crisis. Logan was Assistant Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Selwyn Lloyd, who represented Britain at the meeting.

Sir Donald Logan b 1917

Logan entered Diplomatic Service in 1945. During the Suez crisis of 1956 he was Assistant Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Selwyn Lloyd (1904 - 1978). He was later ambassador to Guinea 1960 - 62, and to Bulgaria 1970 - 1973. Logan was also deputy permanent representative to NATO 1973 - 1975, leader of the UK Delegation to the Conference on Marine Living Resources of Antarctica 1978 - 1980, and director of GB East Europe Centre 1980 - 1987. He was a governor of St Clare's College Oxford 1982 - 2000. From 1984 to 1993 he was chairman of the College's Board of Governors.

Among further appointments Logan was director of the Jerusalem and East Mission Trust Ltd 1980 - 1996 (and chairman 1980 - 1993), and president of the Brompton Association 1997 to the present.

Suez Crisis 1956

On 26th July 1956, the Egyptian president, Gamal Abdel Nasser (1918 - 1970), nationalised the Suez Canal. The crisis was provoked by an American and British decision not to finance the construction of the Aswan Dam, as they had promised. Their refusal was a direct response to the growing ties between Egypt and Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union. Nasser reacted to the American and British decision by declaring martial law in the canal zone and seizing control of the Suez Canal Company, predicting that the tolls collected would pay for the dam within five years. England and France feared that Nasser might close the canal and cut off shipments of petroleum between the Persian Gulf and western Europe. When diplomatic efforts to settle the crisis failed, England and France, allying with Israel, secretly prepared military action to regain control of the canal and, if possible, to depose Nasser. On October 29, 1956, Israeli Brigades invaded Egypt. England and France, following their plan, demanded that Israeli and Egyptian troops withdraw from the canal, and they announced that they would intervene to enforce a cease-fire ordered by the United Nations. However, growing opposition at home and in the UN and Soviet threats of intervention, put an immediate stop to the Anglo-French action. On December 22 the UN evacuated British and French troops, and Israeli forces withdrew in March 1957.

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Logan, Sir Donald

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