867N.01/1669: Telegram
The Minister in Egypt (Fish) to the Secretary of State
[Received 4:17 p.m.]
163. The Iraqi Prime Minister has been visiting in Egypt for the past week ostensibly for personal reasons but actually, I learn confidentially from a usually reliable source, to discuss with the Egyptian Government the subjects of an amnesty in Palestine, including the return of the Grand Mufti, and a proposed treaty of alliance between [Page 810] Egypt and Iraq, which idea is said to have the support of Turkey and Great Britain.
The Egyptian Government is said to have favorably received the amnesty plan but to have expressed doubts regarding the return to Palestine of the Grand Mufti. Upon the matter being presented by the Iraqi and Egyptian Prime Ministers to the British Government through the Embassy here it is understood that a negative reply was received.
As regards the proposed treaty the Egyptian Government is reported to have courteously rejected the proposal on the ground that no sufficiently important Egyptian interests would be served by the conclusion of such a pact at the present time.
Code text sent by air mail to Jerusalem and Baghdad.