740.0011 European War 1939/12523: Telegram
The Minister in Egypt ( Kirk ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 8:30 p.m.]
819. My 812, June 24, 6 p.m.26 This morning’s press reports that in the course of a debate [in?] the Senate yesterday on air raid measures the Prime Minister stated that he had discussed with the British authorities the matter of declaring Cairo an open city and [Page 282] that he hoped to be able to report at an early date the successful conclusion of these negotiations.
The Legation understands in this connection that plans were in an advanced stage about a month ago for the transfer of British general headquarters from Cairo to the canal area but that the project was allowed to drop owing to events taking a less immediately critical turn. It may be noted in this connection that aside from such benefit as might accrue to the British by meeting Egyptian wishes in respect to declaring Cairo an open city, the opinion prevails in certain quarters here that a considerable improvement in the efficient functioning of British general headquarters might be effected by its removal from Cairo to a place where social amenities would impinge to a lesser degree on professional activity.
- Not printed.↩