740.0011 European War 1939/15907⅓

The British Ambassador ( Halifax ) to the Under Secretary of State ( Welles )

Ref: 3425/2/41

My Dear Welles: I have been asked to give you the following message from Sir Alexander Cadogan:8

“We are considering the early publication of a declaration to the effect that after the war the Senussis in Cyrenaica shall in no circumstances again fall under Italian domination.

“The Senussis have suffered much from Italian oppression during the last twenty years. Soon after the collapse of France, a British Senussi force was raised from Senussi exiles, which performed valuable ancillary duties in Cyrenaica and is still serving in the western desert. Their offer of service with us was made unconditionally but lately they have endeavoured to extract some undertaking from us as to their future status.

“The above is, we feel, all that we can say at the moment. I feel bound to tell you, as this declaration might be represented as a commitment.”

Yours very sincerely,

Halifax
  1. British Permanent Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.