Office of the Historian

159. Memorandum by Francis H. Russell and the Assistant Under Secretary of State in the British Foreign Office (Shuckburgh)1

Paris,July 15, 1955.

In accordance with instructions given to us last evening by Mr.Dulles and Mr.Macmillan, we suggest the following course of procedure on Alpha:

1.
Mr. Dulles’ statement will be postponed to early September.2
2.
Attached is a revised draft of Mr.Dulles’ statement omitting mention of specific details of the proposed settlement.3
3.
Mr. Macmillan would make a supporting statement (subject to 4 below) twenty-four hours later. Attached is a suggested draft of such a statement.4
4.
It will be necessary to await further discussion by the British Cabinet before deciding whether the statements would indicate that HM Government had participated fully and from the beginning in the proposals outlined; or whether Mr.Macmillan would merely welcome the Dulles statement and support it.
5.
If possible, Mr.Dulles will inform Mr.Macmillan prior to this Cabinet discussion (probably around July 26) concerning (a) what the U.S. would be prepared to say to the Iraq Government following the enunciation of the Alpha proposals with respect to eventual U.S. adherence to the Turko-Iraq Pact, and (b) whether it would be USG policy that Iraq be supplied Centurion tanks under OSP, assuming appropriate timing and political conditions; and whether Nuri might be informed of this and told that delivery of the tanks will depend upon the manner in which the Alpha proposals are received by the Iraq Government.
6.
The U.S. and U.K. Missions in Israel and the Arab countries should be informed, on a secret basis, of the proposals for the Alpha [Page 299] statements as soon as HMG has formulated its position under paragraph 4 above.

Francis H. Russell
C.A.E. Shuckburgh
  1. Source: Department of State,NEA Files: Lot 59 D 518, Alpha: 1) Paris: Memo of Conv. betw.S and Macmillan, July 14; 2) Paris: Memo on Procedure, July 15, signed by Shuckburgh and FSR. Top Secret; Alpha.↩
  2. Originally this sentence read: “Mr.Dulles’ statement will be postponed to Thursday, September 8.” Secretary Dulles made the textual changes.↩
  3. See Document 169.↩
  4. See Document 169.↩