561.321D1/44
The Egyptian Minister (Sidarouss Pasha) to the Secretary of State
[No.] 6538
The Minister of Egypt presents his compliments to His Excellency The Secretary of State and has the honour to communicate the following Note he has received from his Government in answer to the Note dated September 18th. 1931 of the Department of State.
The Egyptian Government thanks The President and The Government of the United States for their courtesy in accepting the idea of a discussion of representatives of the two Governments with a view to formulating methods of cooperation as regards cotton held by them.
Though the Egyptian proposal had in view a Conference of representatives of all the cotton producing countries in order to secure to its decisions the maximum of efficiency, The Egyptian Government looks with favour upon a discussion limited to the United States and Egypt alone.
Taking into consideration the particularly close relations between their economical conditions The Egyptian Government anticipates an understanding fertile in advantages and possibilities.
The disposal of cotton is of an evident interest to Egypt, but she may be even more interested to discuss other questions concerning production and commerce of cotton. The Egyptian Government therefore highly appreciates the statement of the Government of The United States that nothing shall prevent the American and Egyptian Representatives from discussing other questions they might consider useful to examine.
Being quite aware of the Constitutional difficulties in the United States, The Egyptian Government had never considered that the decision to be taken by the International Conference should be legislatively promulgated, but would simply represent an exchange of views which each State might use for its advantage according to its conditions.
The Egyptian Government is happy to note that the American conception as to the Rôle of these limited “pourparlers” does not differ from its own.
Owing to the special agricultural conditions in Egypt, the Government deemed it necessary to urgently take steps for the limitation of acreage but it considers that the proposed discussion should not be influenced by such measures but should proceed freely on the various questions concerning cotton.
The Egyptian Government proposes to send two delegates to Washington and should be very grateful if The United States Government [Page 165] would fix the date at which shall take place the meeting with the representatives of the American Farm Board.
The Minister of Egypt avails himself [etc.]