Conference files, lot 59 D 95, CF 134
No. 1036
Memorandum for the Executive Secretariat by the Special
Assistant to the Secretary of State (Kitchen)
The Secretary told me that Mr. Eden talked to him regarding Egypt on Tuesday afternoon. Mr. Eden said that he had a number of reports indicating internal difficulties which were making things difficult for Naguib and his group. Mr. Eden was of the opinion that Naguib needed help. Eden said that his Government favored economic assistance as soon as possible in order to stabilize the situation. The British could not provide economic assistance, but they could provide some arms and military equipment. If the United States had a choice between providing military equipment or economic assistance, the British hoped that the United States would concentrate on the latter. He remarked that the United States could leave the procurement of arms from this country in commercial channels, thereby freeing United States governmental assistance to concentrate in the economic field.
The Secretary told Mr. Eden that this seemed a reasonable proposition to him and that he would tell the Department of State to see what could be done and get on with the job as quickly as possible.1
- The following handwritten notation appears on this memorandum: “Telephoned to Washington to S/S–Meloy 11/28/52, a.m., MA”.↩