Sadat slashing the size of Soviets' Cairo corps

January 29, 1980

President Sadat said Monday he ordered a drastic reduction of Soviet diplomats in Egypt and the expulsion of Soviet civilian experts to protest the Russian invasion of Afghanistan. In a speech to parliament broadcast live to Egypt to much of the Arab world, Mr. Sadat also attacked Saudi Arabian leaders for attempting, "out of treason and ignorance," to play off Washington against Moscow. The Soviet Union now has 52 embassy personnel in Egypt; Mr. Sadat is ordering this number be reduced to 7, to match the 7 Egyptian diplomats in Moscow.