811.203/240: Telegram
The Minister in Egypt (Kirk) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 17—3:51 p.m.]
359. My 352, February 16, 10 a.m. Egyptian Government willing accord criminal jurisdiction but still insists upon reserving right to decide whether civilians of American nationality attached to such armed forces will be tried by Mixed Courts or handed over to American military courts. Foreign Office states right would seldom be exercised but that right must be reserved because Greek Government now also trying to negotiate an agreement would insist upon our agreement as precedent, and Egyptian Government is most unwilling to concede to Greece absolute criminal jurisdiction over civilians because of the thousands of Greek civilians in Egypt attached to Greek Army, many of them with dual Egyptian nationality.
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