Office of the Historian

384. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom1

Washington, October 26, 1956—7:28 p.m.

3009. Eyes only Ambassador from Secretary. We are quite disturbed here over fact there is apparently a deliberate British purpose of keeping us completely in the dark as to their intentions with reference to Middle East matters generally and Egypt in particular. We have had no high-level contacts on any of these matters with British Embassy for a week. We do not know their intentions with reference to resuming negotiations with Egyptians nor with reference to SCUA nor do we know what are understandings apparently arrived at with French. We have information of major Israeli preparations and suspect there may be French complicity with them and possibly UK complicity with various moves which they think it preferable to keep from us lest we indicate our disapproval.

Would appreciate promptest whether from your position you feel our concern is justified or whether it could be explained by other circumstances.

Dulles
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 684A.86/10–2656. Top Secret; Niact. Drafted by Dulles, cleared by Rountree, and approved by Dulles.↩