883.24/242a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Egypt (Kirk)
2008. Please ascertain informally reason for delay of Egyptian Government in authorizing signature of master lend-lease agreement presented to the Egyptian Minister here on August 9, 1943. We have recently inquired concerning this matter of the Minister here who had no definite information to give us.
[The Minister in Egypt in several reports during early 1944 stated that the delay in signing the Lend-Lease Agreement was due to the difficulties of the Egyptian Government in reconciling the different views of the various agencies concerned with lend-lease. On June 20, 1944, the Egyptian Legation presented the Department of State with a note agreeing with the principles and main features of the Department’s draft but proposing a number of changes. In reply, in a note of August 14, 1944, the Secretary of State expressed the reluctance of the United States Government to change the wording of the master Lend-Lease Agreement, since it reflected specific provisions of the Lend-Lease Act of 1941, except to take into account Egypt’s nonbelligerent status; the note, however, gave assurances in response to the Egyptian proposals. In telegram No. 3665 of December 4, 1944, 6 p.m., the Minister in Egypt reported that differing views among Egyptian agencies and changes in the Government still delayed action on the agreement. (883.24/292, 8–1444, 12–444)]