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

684A.86/4–1654: Telegram

No. 797
The Ambassador in Egypt (Caffery) to the Department of State¹

top secret
priority

Cairo, April 16, 1954—1 p.m.

1309. My comments on two points in Department’s telegram 1274² are following:

1. Prospects for getting parties together through UN at SC or GA level to discuss general settlement are dim at this time. This leaves UNTSO and MACs as only UN bodies where there is hope of getting parties together and nibbling at problem of improved frontier control (only subject now open for discussion).

2. From discussions with Egyptian authorities and some of MAC chairmen following specific measures should help improve border situation and machinery:

(a) Considerable expansion UN observers corps.

(b) UN translators to conduct interrogations.

(c) More thorough briefing of UN personnel before they assume duties as observers or MAC chairmen.

(d) Pressure on parties to create and observe network of local commanders and police agreements.

Even-handed treatment of incidents will do more than anything to assure Arab cooperation. Key element such treatment involves differentiating between individual acts and those instigated or obviously condoned by governments. UN originated publicity would appear best means maintain this distinction.

Caffery

1. Sent also to Amman, Baghdad, Beirut, Damascus, Jidda, Tel Aviv, and Jerusalem; repeated to London and Paris.
2. Printed as telegram 407 to Amman, Apr. 15, supra.