740.0011 European War 1939/6726: Telegram
The Minister in Egypt ( Fish ) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 17—4:20 p.m.]
305. The Legation’s telegram 225, October 5.17 The Legation has been informed by a strictly confidential but reliable source that the British military authorities here acting direct rather than through the Embassy have informally approached the Egyptian Government with a proposal for the solution of the problem of the Egyptian Army in respect of current hostilities on Egyptian territory. The proposed [Page 485] Egyptian troops in danger areas would be withdrawn to the rear for guarding communications and public utilities as well as other similar protective services and in addition the Egyptian Government would release to the British a certain quantity of war material including particularly tanks which the British are said especially to need.
As a first step in the withdrawal program Egyptian officers in the Sudan frontier and now stationed at Siwa would be replaced by British officers and the force integrated into the British Army.
According to my informant the British military do not now feel that the Egyptian Army is in a position to render substantial assistance under existing circumstances and they have decided therefore that the best services that Egyptian troops can render for the time being would be to insure against sabotage and destruction behind the lines.
My informant gives me to understand that this proposal met with initial favor on the part of the Egyptians and that an eventual agreement on that general basis is probable.
- Not printed.↩