Office of the Historian

641.74/5–1353: Telegram

No. 1165
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Aldrich) to the Department of State1

secret
London, May 13, 1953—5 p.m.

6065. In order further allay indications of concern along lines outlined Embtel 5990 May 8,2 I sought interview with Churchill this morning and conveyed to him substance Cairo’s 2417 May 12 re Secretary’s conversation with Egyptians. Churchill expressed his great appreciation, on basis this and similar reports from British Embassy Cairo for line which Secretary has taken both publicly and privately in Cairo on Suez base problem.

Churchill said that, in event question of Secretary’s visit to Cairo is raised in Commons, he intends read to House public statement which Secretary made on May 11 re US interest in future of base.

I am sending separate letter to Acting Secretary with copy to Secretary at Karachi re reaction here to publicity, which has been both widespread and unfavorable, to gift of pistol to Naguib. Churchill has confided to me his concern over this publicity but stated that if he is forced to refer to this matter in Commons, he will try to make light of it.

Aldrich
  1. Repeated to Cairo as telegram 321 and to Tel Aviv as telegram 52 for the Secretary of State.↩
  2. In telegram 5990 from London, May 8, not printed, Ambassador Aldrich requested authorization to convey to Prime Minister Churchill the instructions which the Department had sent to Ambassador Caffery in telegram 2156, Document 1155. (641.74/5–853) The Department had granted this permission in telegram 7270, May 8, not printed. (641.74/5–853)↩