800.24/298²⁄₁₁: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Egypt (Kirk)
401. Supplementing Department’s No. 378, April 30 and replying to your cable No. 443 of March 21. Public announcement has been made that Iraq and Iran are eligible for lend-lease assistance.18
Legation in Baghdad advised of decision regarding United States representation on MESC, and Chargé d’Affaires instructed to serve as civilian representative on existing local Central Supply Committee. Embassy in Ankara also advised and Ambassador or his alternate designated civilian representative on existing local coordinating committee.19
Civilian requirements of each country of Near East except Turkey and British colonial and mandated territories are processed in following manner.
Requirement is submitted to local committee in the individual country for appraisal of essentiality and urgency in comparison with other requirements of that country and in relation to shipping space roughly estimated by MESC as available to that country.
Findings of local committee are forwarded to MESC for integration with Near East areal requirements. This reference in no way impairs right of United States Chiefs of Mission to communicate with Department on any and all questions of detail or policy.
As for Turkey, only her requirements for cereals and sugar come under jurisdiction of MESC, although similar bulk cargoes will possibly be added later.
MESC examines requirements of each country for essentiality and urgency in relation to those of other countries of the Near East and endeavors first to fill them from Near East sources. If local supply is not feasible, approved requirements are integrated in over-all program for area.
To provide fuller information here, Department proposes that MESC cable Office of Lend-Lease Administration all lists which are cabled to London. Department hopes to establish a general receiving unit here for Near East requirements. Staff of proposed unit would include personnel from interested Government agencies and British Supply Council. In meantime Office of Lend-Lease Administration seems most appropriate existing agency.
British in London will determine within a limited period of time which requirements can be supplied from Empire sources and will [Page 15] cable Washington this decision and their recommendations on items which they themselves do not intend to supply.
United States authorities in Washington will consider all those items which the British do not undertake to supply from Empire sources. They will consult the British and the official agency of country seeking supplies, either jointly or separately.
Requisitions for lend-lease materials and clearance papers required for both private and governmental transactions will follow prescribed course through the various boards and committees operating here to pass on strategic and raw materials and shipping space. If the requisition or order is approved, the material will be shipped to Near East in following manner.
Bulk cargoes such as cereals and sugar will be consigned to MESC for distribution by that agency in accordance with exigencies of the situation at time of cargo’s arrival. Retransfer of these bulk cargoes will be a particular responsibility of United States representative on MESC.
All materials not shipped in bulk will be consigned to country of destination.
Procedure for handling requirements of British colonial and mandated territories will be dealt with in a later cable, as will question of follow-up on delivery of material at destination.
Chipman20 and Piburn21 have been consulted on this general subject. Department would be interested in any comments or suggestions from you on matters discussed herein. War Department suggests you show General Maxwell this cable.
- For correspondence regarding Lend-Lease aid to Iraq and to Iran, see pp. 343 ff., and pp. 289 ff., respectively.↩
- For correspondence on Lend-Lease supplies for Turkey, see pp. 677 ff.↩
- Mr. Chipman had been assigned to duty in the Department.↩
- Lt. Col. Edwin W. Piburn, who had served as temporary Lend-Lease representative to the United States Military Mission in North Africa.↩