Inside Nasser's Egypt
Sir: In your description of Mr Ivor Powell as 'cultural adviser in the Egyptian government ser- vice' (9 June) I can testify that you write in error. It is true that Mr Powell ate the bread and salt of Egypt for four years. He was originally employed, at his own request, as a rewriter on the English- language Arab Observer. During this time he never once met the Deputy Prime Minister for Culture, either socially or in the way of business. When his services were no longer required as a rewriter, he found himself employment in an Egyptian secondary schooL This spring—before the present crisis—the school declined to renew his contract when it was discovered that he could claim neither secondary nor higher educational quali- fications. That his chagrin should express itself in such 'revelations' at a time when the country where he worked is in difficulties would normally be sur- prising conduct in an Englishman. But this week nothing surprises the Arabs any more.
A. Ants Information Counsellor, United Arab Republic Tourist and Information Centre
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