783.003/131: Telegram
The Minister in Egypt (Fish) to the Secretary of State
[Received 10 a.m.]
73. Department’s telegram 4638 and [Legation’s] 72.39 British advisers of the Egyptian Government are understood to be considering two alternatives: (1) The issuance of invitations without definite proposals extending beyond those contained in the annex to article 13 of the Anglo-Egyptian treaty and (2) the putting forward of detailed proposals at the time of the issuance of the invitation.
As no other power has as yet interested itself officially in the subject so far as I know and in view of Great Britain’s special responsibility, it would appear to me appropriate that the British Government should take the lead in raising the question of the desirability of the presentation by the Egyptian Government, when issuing the invitations to the Conference, of written proposals in elaboration of the points raised in the Anglo-Egyptian treaty.
I am accordingly deferring action upon the Department’s telegram No. 46 until I am informed of the Department’s further views in the light of this and of the suggestion made in my telegram No. 72. Should the British Foreign Office agree to raise the question of detailed proposals I would thereafter present to the Egyptian Government the Department’s views. At the same time it might be desirable, irrespective of whether the British Government agreed to act, for the Department to approach the French, Italian, Greek, and Belgian Governments in order that the principal capitulatory powers might act in concert in the matter as I believe we should endeavor to avoid being made solely responsible for any postponement of the Conference.