Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, The Near and Middle East, Volume IX, Part 2

774.5 MSP/3–1453

No. 1120
The Director for Mutual Security (Stassen) to the Secretary of State

confidential

Washington, March 14, 1953.

Dear Mr. Secretary: In accordance with the recommendation of the Department of State and the Department of Defense, concurred in by the Director of the Bureau of the Budget and the Director for Mutual Security, the President has made the determination with reference to Egypt indicated in the enclosed copy of his memorandum to the Director for Mutual Security of March 14, 1953.

All documents are being continued with a confidential security information classification, and it is suggested that no release will be made until the Department of State indicates to the Director for Mutual Security that publication should be made.

Sincerely yours,

Harold E. Stassen

[Attachment]

Memorandum for the Director for Mutual Security

In accordance with the recommendation contained in your memorandum of March 2, 1953,¹ I hereby determine, pursuant to the authority vested in me by Section 202 of the Mutual Security Act of 1951, as amended, that it is essential for the purpose of that Act that the Government of Egypt be provided limited military assistance, pursuant to the provisions of the Mutual Defense Assistance Act of 1949, as amended. In making this determination, I find that (1) the strategic location of Egypt makes it of direct importance to the defense of the Near East area, (2) the assistance to be furnished is of critical importance to the defense of the free nations, and (3) the immediately increased ability of Egypt to defend itself is important to the preservation of the peace and security of the Near East area, and to the security of the United States.

Under the foregoing declaration of eligibility, assistance is to be limited to training programs for personnel of the Egyptian armed forces in United States military installations.²

The Secretaries of State and of Defense are to be notified by you of this decision.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

1. Not found in Department of State files.
2. The Department notified the Embassy in Egypt of the President’s determination on Mar. 17 in telegram 1833, not printed, and pointed out that the Egyptians would have to sign an agreement under the terms of the Mutual Security Act. (774.5 MSP/3–1753) Caffery replied on Mar. 19, in telegram 2106, not printed, that he had notified the Egyptians that they were eligible for grant military aid for training, and that the Egyptians expressed appreciation and agreed in principle to sign an MSA agreement. (774.5 MSP/3–1953)