and the most prosperous commercially.

(3) We agree that the best way to improve the current Advisory Council and make it more representative of the people's wishes and give it greater responsibility is to form an Assembly with legislative, financial, and administrative powers, to be exercised in conjunction with an Executive Council, which will replace the current Governor-General's Council.

(4) We are unanimously agreed that the powers of the new Assembly should encompass the entire country, north and south. However, at the same time, we appreciate the great difficulty in finding individuals from the South who can fully represent their people at the present time. Nevertheless, we hope that this difficulty can be gradually overcome, and that the Directors of the two Mudiriyat will appoint the most qualified individuals at present to the Assembly until such time as individuals who fully represent that part become available.

The Governor-General of Sudan met with Sayyid Imam Abd al-Rahman al-Mahdi on November 7, 1947. The Imam inquired about the fate of the Conference's recommendations if Egypt did not respond and whether a lack of response would hinder progress. The Governor replied, "No, but undoubtedly we will wait for the appropriate time dictated by courtesy, and the Sudan government will not stand idly by." Here, Imam Abd al-Rahman indicated that Sudan's circumstances necessitate a stronger stance than that recommended by the Sudan Conference. The Governor asked him to specify this, and the Imam replied that the chairmanship of the Council should be Sudanese, and the members of the Executive Council should be ministers, and as a second step, His Eminence believes that the Sudanese government should be established immediately. Any extension of the condominium rule would harm Sudan's future, and even if Sudan were not ready for self-governance, delaying its attainment would be its demise. The only obstacle is finding a Sudanese government.

While the Sudan government was awaiting the Egyptian government's response, Imam Abd al-Rahman met with the Governor-General on March 30, 1948, and the following conversation took place between them: (1) The 1899 agreement gave the Governor-General all legislative and executive powers as agent for both Britain and Egypt in Sudan. However, the point on which legal experts differ is whether an agent can delegate his powers, or some of them, to another without the consent of his principal.

(2) Egypt submitted its final response to the draft Legislative Assembly and Executive Council to the British Foreign Secretary around March 15. The best approach is for His Majesty King of Britain's government to make every effort in its own way to persuade Egypt to agree to 89