811.7490F/1–2345: Telegram

The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State

794. We have just received an informal note from the Foreign Office referring to our oral and written representations on the question of radio-telegraph communications between Saudi Arabia and the United States and with particular reference to our request for the assurances mentioned in Department’s 164 January 8, 6 p.m. The Foreign Office note reads in substance as follows:

(Begin paraphrase). From conversations which members of the British Embassy in Washington have had with the State Department and from the letters which you have written to us, we understand that the object sought is the establishment of rapid means of communication with the United States to serve the purposes of the California-Arabian Oil Company,94 which is building up a large strategic refinery under a directive from the United States Chiefs of Staff,95 as well as the American Consul at Dhahran. In my letters of December 29 and January 896 last we put to you certain proposals with these objects in mind. These proposals appear to meet all the wishes of the United States Government so far made known to us in regard to rapid communication between the United States and Dhahran. Moreover, they would meet them at an earlier stage in the war than if the Government of Saudi Arabia were to install their own station.

Therefore, it is not altogether clear to us why it is still felt necessary by the State Department to give consideration to the proposals for establishing on the mainland a radio station to be operated by [Page 1012] the Saudi Arabian Government. Such a wireless station, it would appear, would not seem likely to give a service comparable to that provided by Cable and Wireless Limited since the Government of Saudi Arabia has no experience, at present, of operating a long distance wireless telegraph station. We are informed, furthermore, as stated in my letter of December 29, that a station on the mainland is likely to be subject to greater atmospheric interference than one located on Bahrein Island.

There is, finally, the point that the establishment of such a station would involve a modification of the contract between Cable and Wireless Ltd. and the Government of Saudi Arabia, to the disadvantage of the former.

His Majesty’s Government, you will readily understand, would not particularly welcome a step which would injure an important British interest unless it could be established that, in the interests of the war effort, such a step was necessary. However, it appears from what I have said above, that the considerations, put forward by the State Department, connected with the war effort could be better served by our proposals than by the suggestion that a station be operated by the Government of Saudi Arabia. Therefore, we very much hope that you will accept the former proposals, thus allowing Cable and Wireless to proceed with the necessary steps, as soon as possible, to open immediate communications on the lines suggested in my note of December 29. (End paraphrase).

The proposals of December 29 mentioned in the Foreign Office’s communication were transmitted to the Department in our 11579, December 31. The proposals mentioned as having been given to us in a letter dated January 8 were embodied in our telegram No. 247 January 8, 4 p.m.

We would appreciate the Department’s comments on the statements made by the Foreign Office before taking further steps in this matter.

Winant
  1. The Arabian American Oil Company (Aramco), known until January 1944 as the California Arabian Standard Oil Company.
  2. For documentation regarding the policy of the Department of State with respect to the construction of refinery facilities in the Middle East by American interests, see Foreign Relations, 1943, vol. iv, pp. 921 ff.
  3. See telegram 11579, December 31, 1944, from London, ibid., 1944, vol. v, p. 772, and telegram 247, January 8, 4 p.m., from London, ante, p. 1010, respectively.