501.BB Palestine/8–1749: Telegram
The Chargé in Egypt (Patterson) to the Secretary of State
774. Under Secretary Hassouna Pasha in conversation sixteenth referred to SC’s action in lifting arms embargo. Hassouna speaking for Prime Minister Sirry Pasha expressed earnest hope that US Government might see its way clear to implementing embargo lifting through abolition of numerous present restrictions on export of arms from US.
In reply I stated that I would bring his views to attention my government pointing out my belief that US Government while favoring arms for defence was allergic to weapons capable of use in offensive warfare.
[Page 1323]Any positive action which the US Government may be disposed to take in above sense might possibly be made conditional on like lifting by Egyptian Government of its own restrictions dating from Palestine hostilities with especial reference to interference with ships, crews and cargoes in Egyptian ports or transiting Suez Canal.1
- Cairo had advised, on August 16, that “there is no truth in rumors that the Egyptian Government will no longer search shipping passing in Suez and destined for Haifa. As previously reported, what the Egyptian Government undertook in its regulations was to confine its attention to war matériels.… A few days ago five American cars consigned to Tel Aviv were seized by the authorities in Alexandria. Details of this seizure are being obtained from the Consulate General at Alexandria and immediate protest will be made to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs based on the assurances which they have given regarding the nature of cargo to be interfered with.” (airgram 857, 501.BB Palestine/8–1349)↩