890F.24/8–3044: Telegram
The Chargé in Saudi Arabia (Geier) to the Secretary of State
[Received 5:46 p.m.]
261. Jordan informed me today that after the joint Anglo-American note on the subsidy program had been delivered to King Ibn Saud at Riyadh on August 3 [1], the King had written the Prime Minister and Amir Faisal had written Mr. Eden requesting additional supplies for Saudi Arabia.
Churchill’s reply to Ibn Saud has been postponed by his journey41 but Jordan, under instructions from his Government, read me draft reply from Eden to Faisal. It was couched in general unobjectionable terms and embodied British arguments against food subsidy increases. However, key sentence declared that figures contained in joint note “represent total supply which British and American Governments have decided to give Saudi Arabian Government without payment [Page 732] during 1944”. Since this reply will be dated August 22, it would have contradicted both Department’s 158, August 14, 7 p.m.42 and 166, August 23, 9 p.m.43 by declaring that quotas stated in note were final whereas in point of fact they are under joint reconsideration by MESC. Jordan advanced specious argument that it was only after the 22nd that British Government had agreed to such reconsideration and therefore the reply was true as of that date. The Legation’s note of August 16 (re Legation’s 251, August 16, 6 p.m.) had been delivered over his protest and had no validity since it represented a unilateral decision.
Upon insistence he agreed to change wording to past tense “represented total which Governments had decided to give” and said he would give Legation a copy of letter to Faisal. He minimized importance of change. I had distinct impression he was hoping to rush through original unsatisfactory text before arrival of Eddy.
Sent Department. Repeated Cairo.