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

774.5 MSP/3–2853: Airgram

No. 1135
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in Egypt

confidential

Washington, March 28, 1953.

A–329. Re Deptel 1833, March 17 to Cairo, 6168 to London.¹ Proposed text agreement with Egypt for grant military aid limited to training given below. Provided atmosphere propitious and taking into account Naguib’s reaction letter recently delivered, Embassy authorized at its discretion negotiate and execute agreement in form given. Advise proposed date any press release. Any changes in text of agreement will require clearance here.

Begin text. I have the honor to refer to recent conversations between representatives of our Governments concerning the training in United States military installations of certain members of the armed forces of Egypt and to inform your Excellency that the Government of the United States is prepared to furnish such training assistance to the Government of Egypt in accordance with such arrangements, terms and conditions as may be agreed, and subject to legislative authority and the following understandings:

1. The Government of Egypt undertakes to take appropriate steps to insure the effective utilization of any training assistance provided by the Government of the United States in support of the following purposes and principles under which the Government of Egypt agrees to:

a. Join in promoting international understanding and good will, maintaining world peace, and in supporting the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and arrangements for the preservation of world peace undertaken thereunder;

b. Take such action as may be mutually agreed to eliminate causes of international tension, including measures to control trade in strategic materials with nations which threaten the maintenance of world peace;

c. Make, consistent with its political and economic stability, the full contribution permitted by its manpower, resources, facilities, and general economic conditions to the development and maintenance of its own defensive strength and the defensive strength of the free world;

d. Take all reasonable measures which may be needed to develop its own defense capacities.

2. In the interest of their mutual security, the Government of Egypt will take such measures as are necessary to prevent the unauthorized disclosure or compromise by Egyptian personnel of United States classified military information obtained during their courses of instruction, and to extend appropriate facilities and assistance, including where necessary the furnishing of local currency, in such amounts as may be agreed,² to United States personnel in Egypt engaged in carrying out United States responsibilities under this agreement.

I have the honor to propose that, if these understandings meet with the approval of the Government of Egypt, the present note and your note in reply constitute an Agreement between our two Governments, effective on the date of your Excellency’s reply, to remain in force until one year after the receipt by either Party of written notice of the intention of the other Party to terminate it.³

Accept, Excellency, etc.

Dulles

1. See footnote 2, Document 1120.
2. On Apr. 8 in telegram 2207, not printed, Caffery requested that the phrase “including where necessary the furnishing of local currency in such amounts” be deleted from the text of the proposed agreement even before it was presented to the Egyptians. (774.5 MSP/4–853) The Department concurred in telegram 2003 to Cairo, Apr. 14, not printed. (774.5 MSP/4–853)
3. On May 6 in telegram 2374, not printed, Ambassador Caffery reported that the revised text of airgram A–329 had been handed to Ali Sabry on Apr. 18, who, in turn, had given it to Nasser for his consideration. Caffery went on to say that Nasser had not as yet considered it. (774.5 MSP/5–653)