Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, The Near and Middle East, Volume IX, Part 1

674.84A/8–3052: Telegram

No. 477
The Ambassador in Israel (Davis) to the Department of State¹

secret

Tel Aviv, August 30, 1952—10 a.m.

343. Re last para Embtel 310.² Director US div Fon Ministry informs Emb that Egypt–Israel MAC mtg was held as scheduled, but since Egypt’s delegate was other than person who requested prelim informal mtg, latter did not take place. Source reports, however, that IG is satisfied with results regular mtg, at which fol three subjects discussed:

First item was several hundred complaints, of which over ⅔ had been filed by Israel, whose rep proposed that both sides agree to “wipe out” all pending complaints. After some informal discussion senior Egypt delegate is reported to have agreed to submit proposal to his govt for consideration. Second item was further proposal from senior Israel delegate that future complaints be discussed informally between delegates without awaiting formal MAC mtgs. Third item concerned recent incidents between Israel fishermen and Egyptian patrols. Israelis proposed that IG endeavor ensure that fishing vessels respect 3 mile limit along coast Gaza strip and 6 mile limit off Egypt coast, and that Egypt in return restrain their patrols from firing on fishing vessels outside these limits. FonMin rep reports that senior Egypt delegate appeared receptive to latter two proposals, but again considered it necessary refer matters to higher auth for approval.³

Davis

1. Repeated to Cairo, London, Paris, Ankara, and Jerusalem.
2. Document 473.
3. In telegram 422 from Tel Aviv, Sept. 12, the Embassy stated that the Israeli Foreign Ministry reported that at the Egypt–Israel Mixed Armistice Commission meeting of Sept. 9, the Egyptian Delegate (1) accepted the Israeli proposal to wipe out all pending complaints; (2) agreed to extend until the end of September the “gentleman’s agreement” on infiltration involving a mutual undertaking to refrain from opening or reducing fire and to consider complaints informally outside MAC meetings; and (3) confirmed the agreement on territorial waters described in telegram 343. (674.84A/9–1252)