641.74/9–2453: Telegram
No. 1224
The Ambassador in Egypt (Caffery) to the
Department of State1
priority
360. Egyptians told us last night that they walked out of yesterday’s meeting with Hankey and Robertson without setting date for another session.
According to Egyptians Nasir offered 18 months evacuation period to be followed by five year agreement, i.e. total of six and a half years.
Following some discussion of duration issue, Robertson raised question of uniforms for technicians (apparently he had not made point clearly in first meeting). When Egyptians turned down idea, Robertson protested he had understood Egyptians would accept uniforms and had so told London. Nasir, who has said all along that technicians must be in civilian attire, replied to that effect. When British persisted he lost his temper and stalked out of meeting.
Comment: It appears there is genuine misunderstanding involved as British had indicated to us previously they thought Egypt would accept uniforms and Fawzi had also suggested this possibility.
Nasir, on other hand, feels all important concessions have been made by Egypt and evidently became angry at what he considered British failure to reciprocate when relatively minor point involved. He was particularly incensed because he has recently extended facilities on number of supply matters to British in zone as gesture of good will and completed payment of indemnities for January 26 deaths.
- Repeated to London as telegram 128.↩