Office of the Historian

780.5/9–851: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in Egypt 1

top secret
priority
Washington, September 8, 1951—4 p. m.

339. Verbatim text. Fol is text paper dated Sep 8 “Proposals to Egypt on its Participation in ME Command:”2

“It was agreed that proposals for Egypt’s participation in the ME Command shld be made to Egypt in accordance with the agreed timetable.3 The precise nature of the presentation wld be left for further discussion and decision, but it was agreed that the proposals wld be within the framework of the fol:

The defense of the ME and specifically of Egypt is vital to the security of the free world. Similarly, the defense of Egypt can only be assured through the effective defense of the ME area as a whole. Egypt is therefore invited to participate as a founder member on the basis of full equality and partnership in an allied ME Command in the fol manner:

(a)
Egypt to be a member of the ME Chiefs of Staff Comite and therefore a member of the ME Mil Rep(s) Comite.
(b)
Hdqrs of the Supreme Allied Command, ME, shld include Egypt Officers on the integrated staff.
(c)
Egypt to be a member of the ME Liaison Section of the Supreme Command Hdqrs. This Section shld provide the Mil link between the Command on the one hand and on the other the participating countries and such countries in the areas which wish to coop with the Command.
(d)
Egypt to be persuaded to invite the location of the Hdqs of the Supreme Command in her territory.
(e)
Egypt to be given a position of high auth and responsibility within the ME Command Structure.
(f)
Facilities to train and equip her forces to be given to Egypt by those participating members of the Command in a position to do so.
(g)
The present Brit base in Egypt to be formally handed over to the Egypt(s) on the understanding that it will simultaneously become an Allied base under SACME with full Egypt participation in the running of this base in peace and war.
(h)
All Brit forces not allocated to SACME will be withdrawn from Egypt starting forthwith.
(i)
All Brit forces stationed in Egypt in peace and war will form part of the Allied Integrated Command of SACME.
(j)
The number of Allied Forces to be stationed in Egypt in peacetime to be determined by SACME in agreement with the Egypt Govt.
(k)
In the event of war, imminent menace of war or apprehended Internat emergency Egypt wld grant to the Allied forces all necessary facilities and assistance including the use of Egypt ports, aerodromes and means of communication.”

Webb
  1. Drafted and signed for the Acting Secretary by Stabler. Also sent to Ankara as 182, London as 1410, and Paris as 1469.↩
  2. The paper in question emerged from a series of meetings during the first week in September between British civil and military leaders, headed by Under Secretary of State Sir Reginald Bowker and Air Chief Marshal Elliot, and members of the State Department’s Bureau of Near Eastern, South Asian, and African Affairs. The meetings dealt with the mounting crisis in Anglo-Egyptian affairs. Following these meetings, the French were informed of the decisions and timing regarding the invitation to Egypt and Turkey (memorandum of conversation by Jones, August 30, 780.5/8–3051 and memorandum of conversation by Perkins, September 7, 780.5/9–751). No record of the United States-United Kingdom meetings has been found in Department of State files.↩
  3. Outlined in telegram 183 to Ankara, infra.↩