298. Telegram From the Embassy in the United Kingdom to the Department of State1
1165. Foreign Office has informed Embassy Her Majesty’s Government feels unable for reasons mentioned Embassy telegram 6672 to press Sudanese accept Egyptian proposal for division Nile waters. Foreign Office has requested British representatives Cairo and Khartoum estimate probable reaction Egyptian and Sudanese Governments to suggestion United Kingdom, Egypt and Sudan hold technical discussions of Nile waters problem in near future. British Ambassador Cairo being authorized to sound out Nasser on this idea. Foreign Office not suggesting Ethiopian or Belgian participation in such discussions.
Foreign Office hopes discussions could be kept strictly technical rather than political. If discussions should fail to bring about solution Foreign Office thinks IBRD or other qualified organization might be asked study problem and recommend equitable solution. Failing this, Her Majesty’s Government would probably recommend matter be taken to arbitration.
Regarding general Sudan situation Foreign Office informed Embassy that on September 16Trevelyan tried discuss Sudan with Nasser but latter claimed he still unfamiliar with Sudan question and would have to give it further thought.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 645W.74322/9–2255. Confidential. Received at 9:05 p.m. Repeated to Cairo, Addis Ababa, and Khartoum.↩
- See footnote 2, Document 204.↩