641.74/9–2751: Telegram

The Ambassador in Egypt (Caffery) to the Department of State 1

top secret

375. Deptel 423, Sept 24.2 Minister Foreign Affairs after recounting at some length reasons why Egyptian Govt must go ahead at once with abrogation 1936 treaty and referring to local press attacks on alleged Anglo-American plans for East Mediterranean finally agreed that he wld endeavor to hold off for say ten days.

Minister Foreign Affairs observed he cordially welcomed our hospitable interest in this question. He said he wld at once inform Prime Minister of this. If I had taken this matter up with Prime Minister rather than Foreign Minister I wld have recd from Prime Minister various declarations of good will but nothing else. He wld have taken no decision on this without consulting his Minister Foreign Affairs.

Caffery
  1. Repeated to London.
  2. Not printed; it requested Caffery to seek an early opportunity to speak to Prime Minister Nahas Pasha and/or Foreign Minister Salaheddin in order to express the hope that no precipitate action would be taken by the Egyptian Government “which wld make difficult calm and considered deliberation new proposals” regarding the MEC (641.74/9–2351).