867N.01/2193
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Under Secretary of State (Stettinius)
The Egyptian and Iraqi Ministers16 called on me this afternoon at their request. The conference lasted approximately twenty-five minutes.
The Egyptian Minister opened the conversation by saying he was greatly disturbed over the Resolution that had been introduced on the Palestine question. He stated that he had had several conferences with the President during the past few months in which the President had assured him that he hoped the whole question would be postponed until after the war.
The Egyptian Minister then stated he greatly resented the attack made against his people recently by Congressman Celler of New York and asked if anything could be done. I told him that due to our democratic system of government any member of Congress could speak in any way he wished, and that it was impossible for the Executive branch of the government to exercise any restraint over members of Congress.
The Iraqi Minister then said that he also shared the same concern as the Egyptian Minister over the Palestine matter, and he was hopeful that the whole matter could be postponed. I explained to the gentlemen that Secretary Hull was keeping closely in touch with the entire matter and I told them I appreciated their having come to express their views.
- Mahmoud Hassan and Ali Jawdat, respectively.↩