Foreign Relations of the United States, 1951, The Near East and Africa, Volume V

974.5301/7–1151: Telegram

The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Gifford) to the Department of State ¹

secret

London, July 11, 1951—6 p. m.

226. Head Afr Dept FonOff² asked us stress to Dept importance UK attached to our co-sponsorship SC resolution calling on Egypt lift Suez Canal restrictions. FonOff gathered we were already prepared support arguments against restrictions in SC discussions, thereby making clear to Egypt where we stood. Added weight our co-sponsorship of res was in FonOff’s opinion vital to achieving maximum result.

FonOff doubts wisdom having canal dispute referred to ICJ in view risk adverse decision. Because of increasing parliamentary and domestic restlessness over Suez issue, FonOff is anxious for SC take some decisive step against restrictions.

Public attention has again been called to Egypt behavior by detention Empire Roach³ entrance Gulf Aqaba (an incident headlined by popular press today) and Fon Secy will be obliged explain govt’s attitude on this provocation in House Commons this afternoon. UK is making strong protest Egypt action both in Cairo and with Egypt Amb here who was called to FonOff this morning. FonOff denies that Egypt had any right detain and board ship and is particularly exasperated by manner in which search carried out, which included some looting, and by belief Egypt should have been well aware this was simply another of routine trips to take supplies to Aqaba which have been carried on for some time.

Gifford

1. Repeated for information to Cairo and Tel Aviv.
2. Roger Allen.
3. With respect to the detention of the British ship Empire Roach, see Parliamentary Debates, House of Commons, 5th series, vol. 490, cols. 424, 835, and 1408.