124.90G/47: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in the United Kingdom ( Bucknell )
4658. Your 4255, May 26, 6 p.m. You are authorized to reply to Mr. Eden in the following sense:
The Department has noted the preference of the British Government, as set forth in Mr. Eden’s letter of May 25, that the American Missions in Cairo and Baghdad should not be raised to the rank of Embassy at this time. In the light of the considerations set forth in this letter, as well as in the conversations between Sir Maurice Peterson and Mr. Wallace Murray, the Department will defer for the time being to the wishes of the British Government in this matter, while reserving full freedom of action to resume discussions on this point as well as on the question of precedence, at some time in the future.6
[Page 5]The Legations at Baghdad and Cairo are being informed of the foregoing.7
- In his despatch No. 16,590, June 30, the Ambassador in the United Kingdom informed the Secretary of State that in a letter of June 28 the British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs had stated: “I note with much appreciation that your Government are willing to defer, for the time being, the raising of the United States Legations in Egypt and Iraq to the status of Embassies.” (124.83/6–3044)↩
- In instructions Nos. 868 and 193, July 3, sent respectively to the Minister in Egypt (Tuck) and the Minister in Iraq (Henderson), the Department transmitted copies of the foregoing exchange of telegrams, with the following statement: “If … the matter should be broached by representatives of either of the two Governments concerned, the Department perceives no objection to their being informed that this Government would be pleased to consider appointing Ambassadors to the countries in question whenever the situation is such as to permit American Ambassadors to become members of the Diplomatic Corps of these countries on a non-discriminatory basis.” (124.90G/47)↩