Office of the Historian

780.5/10–1254: Telegram

No. 232
The Chargé in the United Kingdom (Butterworth) to the Department of State1

secret
London, October 12, 1954—1 p.m.

1851. From further discussion with Foreign Office of proposals put forward in London by Nuri Said recently2 re Middle East regional security, Embassy believes outline of proposals contained Embtel 17243 and Embdes 9584 is substantially accurate and that Turkish Government version outlined Ankara’s 3935 is not entirely correct.

Foreign Office has shown us circular telegram to British Ambassadors at certain Middle East posts which Bowker was authorized use in his conversation with Zorlu mentioned Ankara reference telegram. Version of Nuri’s proposals as given in Foreign Office circular corresponds to that given Embassy by Foreign Office and reported in our telegram and despatch under WGF.

Foreign Office considers Nuri’s proposals could hardly be described as “effort revive original MEDO concept,” even in modified form, since Nuri made it plain that indigenous initiative was essential feature his plan. Foreign Office concurs in this approach.

Re French participation Nuri told British he had spoken to French here in effort enlist support vis-à-vis Nuri but that he does not favor French association in his proposed regional security arrangements. Foreign Office points out that according Nuri these arrangements would be open to accession by countries “having forces in the region” thereby excluding French. Foreign Office understands Nuri did not go to Paris and that his only discussion with French was with their officials here.

Foreign Office concurs with Department’s belief (Deptel 1999)6 that Northern Tier and ALCSP should be regarded as complementary [Page 554] rather than mutually exclusive. Nuri incidentally told British he was planning approach Turkey, Pakistan and Syria, not Turkey, Pakistan and Iran as indicated Department reference telegram, although he evidently had Iran in mind also. British are awaiting results Nuri’s visit Turkey before developing their own views further.

Butterworth
  1. Repeated to Baghdad, Ankara, Karachi, Cairo, Damascus, Tehran, and Paris.↩
  2. After his visit to Egypt, Nuri Said went to London on Sept. 18, primarily for medical treatment. He remained in London until Oct. 3, and during that time had a series of conversations with members of the Foreign Office on the subject of Middle East regional security. Additional documentation on this topic is in Department of State file 780.5.↩
  3. Not printed, but see footnote 3, Document 230.↩
  4. Not printed; it transmitted the details of a conversation between the Head of the Levant Department of the Foreign Office and Nuri Said on Middle East regional security. (780.5/10–554)↩
  5. Supra.↩
  6. Printed as telegram 430 to Ankara, Document 230.↩