Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1943, The Near East and Africa, Volume IV

890G.6363/400: Telegram

The Minister Resident in Iraq (Wilson) to the Secretary of State

Baghdad, April 2, 1943—3 p.m.
[Received April 2—1:46 p.m.]

140. My 120, March 23, noon. Minister for Foreign Affairs informed me at dinner Wednesday³⁸ that the oil companies had selected the second of the two agreements³⁹ signed by the Iraq Government with Sklupos [Skliros] when he was here. He has followed this conversation with a formal note⁴⁰ replying to my note of February 15 (reference Department’s 47, February 12) by which I am officially informed of the above and that steps are now being taken to submit the agreement to Parliament for necessary enabling legislation to be promulgated before May 20, 1943.

George Walter, Baghdad representative of the IPC, has given me a copy of the agreement entered into which I am forwarding to the Department by tomorrow’s pouch.⁴¹ He tells me that he and Nuri Pasha destroyed the first agreement on Monday last.

Wilson

38. March 31.
39. i.e., that covering the Basrah Petroleum Company and the Mosul Petroleum Company. See telegram No. 120 from the Minister Resident in Iraq, March 23, supra.
40. Not printed.
41. Despatch No. 258, April 2, not printed.