Foreign Relations of the United States, Diplomatic Papers, 1944, The Near East, South Asia, and Africa, The Far East, Volume V

890F.24/8–1944: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Minister in Egypt (Tuck)

Washington, August 23, 1944—9 p.m.

2262. For AEMME. Reference Cairo’s 2460, August 18 and 2472, August 19, 3 p.m., and Jidda’s 251, August 16, 6 p.m.³⁴

1. You are instructed to proceed with MESC on the problems of revising the supply program of Saudi Arabia to the extent that it needs revision in the light of King Ibn Saud’s reply as transmitted with Jidda’s despatch no. 205 of August 3³⁵ and other available data.

2. In that connection: you will bear in mind that it was always understood that the subsidy program would not suffice to meet all the food requirements of Saudi Arabia, that additional tonnages were programmed to be supplied commercially by dhows or other purchases by merchants or the government, and to the degree that these tonnages were not forthcoming it was contemplated that the subsidy program would be increased by joint action.

3. The King’s reply seems to indicate that this aspect of the Anglo-American proposal was not emphasized.

4. It was also contemplated that additional supplies for the pilgrimage might be required.

5. You will also have to consider how to make the 1944 pilgrimage fees available for 1944 expenditures, as this also was contemplated. Indeed, the budget as such needs to be explained to the appropriate officials of the Saudi Arabian Government, and work on the 1945 budget should be begun.

6. Reference Jidda’s despatch no. 207, August 11³⁶ (not repeated to Cairo), you are authorized jointly with the British to substitute 3,000 tons of cereals for 3,000 tons of dates.

7. You will consider desirability of supplying 50 trucks to Saudi Arabian Government as against trucks reserved for Iraq or other sources of supply.

8. If the supply program is to be increased, you will make your recommendations as to the extent to which that increase shall be met by increasing the subsidy and the extent to which the Saudi Arabian Government should be required to rely on private purchasing or its own purchasing power to finance suggested increases.

9. If Eddy is still in Cairo,³⁷ let him assist in opening negotiations with MESC on this matter. In any event, put your best supply men on this problem.

10. For Jidda. Reference Department’s 158, August 14.³⁸ The purport of that telegram was to have you inform Saudi Arabian Government that joint reconsideration was being undertaken through the MESC of the subsidy program in the light of the King’s reply in order to maintain the three months’ inventory principle then suggested and not to indicate that the United States had unilaterally reached decisive conclusions on its course of action. You should so inform the British Minister and the Saudi Arab Government.

Department has fully informed British Embassy of the foregoing, and Embassy states instructions to take parallel action have already been sent to British representatives in Cairo and Jidda.

Landis concurs.

Sent to Cairo, repeated to Jidda.³⁹

Hull

34. Telegrams 2460 and 2472 not printed.
35. Not printed; for telegraphic report of the King’s reply, see telegram 235, August 6, 10 a.m., from Jidda, p. 723.
36. Not printed.
37. At the time that plans for economic aid to Saudi Arabia were laid before President Roosevelt in early April the proposal was also made that the status of the diplomatic representative of the United States in Saudi Arabia be raised from Minister Resident to Minister Plenipotentiary. The President approved this proposal and also a recommendation made by the Secretary of State on May 31 that Colonel Eddy be appointed the first Minister. The Appointed Minister was en route to Jidda at this time.
38. See footnote 31, p. 727.
39. Repeated as telegram 106.