641.74/6–1753: Telegram
No. 1187
The Secretary of
State to the Embassy in the United
Kingdom1
priority
8011. Message from President to Churchill mentioned immediately preceding telegram follows:
Verbatim text.
“Dear Winston: Thank you very much for your prompt response to my recent message on Egypt. There are certain passages in your reply which I fail to understand, but I believe it more profitable to leave these for the personal talks we anticipate in Bermuda.
“I was interested to note that Robertson feels that agreement might be reached which would retain the essentials of Case A,2 providing there is reasonably prompt resumption of deiscussions and that some adjustments are made to meet Egyptian sensibilities.
“As you know, I personally believe that the best interests of all of us will be served if friendly discussions are promptly resumed in Cairo. Obviously, however, it would be worse than futile to resume those talks unless you and I are absolutely clear as to the minimum [Page 2099] objectives we hope to attain, and have some reason to believe that these would not be rejected out of hand by the Egyptians. Perhaps our March agreement on the type of base arrangement to be sought, which you mention, would serve the purpose. If my memory serves me correctly, the negotiators were to have flexibility between arrangements which would insure a working Base in peace which would be immediately operable in event of war, and one which would require 60 days for reactivation.
“Won’t you please dismiss any thought of us, here, seeming to desert any agreed position or exhibiting weakness. Foster’s statements3 in Cairo and his notification to the Egyptians that they cannot get arms as long as you and they are disagreed should reassure you on this.
“With warm personal regard, Ike.”
- Repeated to Cairo as telegram 2371. Drafted by Burdett and approved by the Secretary of State.↩
- See Document 1061.↩
- See footnote 3, Document 1179.↩