883.404/53
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in the United Kingdom (Atherton)
Sir: Your attention is invited to the Department’s instruction No. 334 of April 21, 1930,32 and to the Embassy’s replying despatch No. 866 of May 5, 1930,33 concerning the question of religious liberty in Egypt.
In this connection the Department is now in. receipt of a letter from the Reverend A. L. Warnshuis, Secretary of the International [Page 25] Missionary Council, 156 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York, with which were transmitted various memoranda and communications from the Egypt Inter-Mission Council at Cairo, concerning the current negotiations between Great Britain and Egypt, with particular reference to the question of the rights of religious minorities. In this general connection the Reverend Mr. Warnshuis suggests the desirability of making informal inquiry at the British Foreign Office as to whether the rights of these religious minorities are being considered in the present negotiations.
Provided you perceive no objection you are authorized to make informal inquiry at the Foreign Office as to whether the situation has changed since the conversation reported in the Embassy’s despatch No. 866 of May 5, 1930, to such an extent that it might now be possible to consider the possibility of including in the current negotiations the question of safeguarding religious liberties in Egypt.
Very truly yours,