1.
LV BROWN SEATED IN PRESS LOUNGE AT AIRPORT
0.06

2.
CU BROWN SPEAKING
0.14

3.
SV PRESSMEN
0.17

4.
SV BROWN SEATED WITH BRITISH AMBASSADOR
0.22

5.
SV BROWN SPEAKING
0.30

6.
SV QUESTION IS ASKED
0.33

7.
SV BROWN SPEAKING
0.40



Initials WW/VS/AW/BJ



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: ADDRESSING A NEWS CONFERENCE AT CAIRO AIRPORT BEFORE FLYING TO BEIRUT YESTERDAY (6 JANUARY), THE DEPUTY LEADER OF THE BRITISH LABOUR PARTY AND FORMER BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY, MR. GEORGE BROWN, SAID HE WAS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE PROSPECTS OF A PEACEFUL SOLUTION IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

MR. BROWN WAS LEAVING EGYPT AFTER TALKS WITH PRESIDENT NASSER ON MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROSPECTS AND BILATERAL RELATIONS.

ASKED WHETHER HE FOUND PRESIDENT NASSER INTERESTED IN A POLITICAL SETTLEMENT OF THE ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT, MR. BROWN REPLIED: 'IF I DID NOT THINK HE WAS MORE INTERESTED IN A PEACEFUL SOLUTION I WOULD NOT BE GOING AWAY AS CHEERFUL AS I AM.'
MR. BROWN TOLD REPORTERS THAT HE BELIEVED THE CHANCES OF FOUR-POWER TALKS ON THE MIDDLE EAST WERE BETTER NOW THAN BEFORE. HE ALSO SAID HE THOUGHT THAT RECENT UNITED STATES PROPOSALS FOR SOLVING THE CRISIS MARKED 'A NOTABLE ADVANCE'.

PRESIDENT NASSER HAS REJECTED THESE PROPOSALS AS 'SUSPICIOUS SCHEMES AIMED AT DIVIDING THE ARAB WORLD'.