745W.00/11–2451: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Gifford) to the Department of State 1
2489. Deptel 2629, Nov 21.2 FonOff thinks Salaheddin’s Sudan pleb proposal is a “nonstarter” and proposes to ignore it unless UN shows any interest, whereupon UK wld ask what it considered rhetorical questions of what, why and how. In present form and under present circumstances FonOff considers proposal meaningless and broached insincerely by Egypt FonMin purely for propaganda. To have any significance, Egypt wld first have withdraw its constitution for Sudan. Eden has reproved Lie for appearing support proposal and, according to FonOff, latter was apologetic, saying he had been misunderstood.
First of all, FonOff considers withdrawal Brit and Egypt personnel utterly impractical and wld lead only to breakdown govt admin. Second main objection is that trying to get any meaning out of “vote per head” in country like Sudan, or even trying to hold a vote, is ludicrous.
[Page 426]FonOff admits it is neither happy about present Sudan situation nor sees future clearly. It presently has no good news on subj, but wants Dept know its mind open and that it wld gladly welcome suggestions from US. It does not reject idea that at some time in some form referendum may be necessary.
Under present circumstances, however, FonOff inclined think that the more Sudanese are left alone to work out their own destiny on present lines the better it will be for all, particularly Sudanese. Brit feel UN or other outside intervention now could only heighten internal dissension already alarmingly aroused by Egypt provocation. UK thinks it can handle Egypt attempts penetrate Sudan but has frank doubts about ability maintain law and order shld interference on international scale further foment civil strife. It does not altogether discount possibility of revolt comparable to Mahdist uprising of last century.
FonOff emphasizes (and Emb confirms) strong emotional feeling Brit in general about Sudan. Public and Parliament proud Brit achievement in bringing good admin and element of prosperity to Sudan. To them it is unthinkable that UK shld abandon its responsibility towards Sudanese, and above all unthinkable for Sudan to become prey to Egypt.
While FonOff sees little or no possibility meeting minds with Egypt over attachment Sudan to Egypt monarchy, Emb thinks UK might eventually agree to some compromise on this score provided essential Sudanese freedom protected. FonOff says Egypt FonMin has never at any time given any hope of Egypt agreement simply on symbolic kingship. Egypt wants more than this; they want control over all that matters in Sudan. As for Bevin-Sidky formula, FonOff now finds difficult to say what language means, and in any event knows it wld mean one thing to Egypt and another to UK.
- Repeated to Cairo, Paris, Ankara.↩
- On November 16, Salaheddin had delivered a strongly worded speech before the Sixth Session of the United Nations General Assembly at Paris condemning British policies and actions with regard to Egypt and the Sudan. In the course of his remarks, he declared “as a challenge to the United Kingdom that for our part, we accept to withdraw our officials and our armed forces from the Sudan on condition that the United Kingdom do the same, so as to allow the Sudanese freely to express their will through a plebiscite” arranged and supervised with the cooperation of the United Nations. Salaheddin’s speech was reprinted in its entirety by the Egyptian Government in its Green Book on the Anglo-Egyptian crisis of 1950–1951, pp. 180–192. In telegram 2629 to London of November 21, Acting Secretary Webb asked to receive “soonest” Foreign Office reaction to Salaheddin’s proposal, adding “We believe that if idea has merit, it shld not be allowed die on vine.” (745W.00/11–2151)↩