Office of the Historian

631. Telegram From the Embassy in Egypt to the Department of State1

Cairo, December 2, 1956—6 p.m.

1760. Re Deptels 16882 and 1733.3 In conversation with Nasser last night I raise question improper activity EG agents, especially MAs in neighboring Arab countries particularly Libya and Lebanon. Not unexpectedly, Nasser’s reaction was evasive. He admitted MA in Libya had gotten out of line, especially following attack on Egypt, [Page 1236] and he (Nasser) had been too preoccupied with other matters to give matter necessary attention until it reached advanced state when steps taken correct. Re Lebanon he mentioned secret arrangements re arms (Embtel 1694)4 but requested this not be mentioned to GOL since it could cause serious complications. When pressed re certain specific incidents not to be explained by alleged secret agreement Nasser was either non-committal or disclaimed knowledge specific details but I gained impression that facts adduced were not unfamiliar to him.

Hare
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 684A.86/12–256. Secret. Received at 9:46 a.m. Repeated to Damascus, Beirut, Baghdad, Jidda, Amman, Tripoli, and Khartoum.↩
  2. Printed as telegram 973, Document 610.↩
  3. In telegram 1733, November 28, the Department of State noted that, according to reports from the Embassy in Cairo, Nasser had publicly stated on November 21 that Egypt stood concretely for international law and that Nasser had pledged himself to the strict observance of all international law which currently existed. The Department suggested to Hare that he might at his discretion seek an opportunity to point out to Nasser that respect for international law would require the termination of subversive activities abroad, such as those of the Egyptian Military Attaché in Tripoli, the dynamitings in Beirut, and fedayeen terrorism. (Department of State, Central Files, 684A.86/11–2456)↩
  4. In telegram 1694, November 27, Hare reported that, according to a confidant of Nasser, the arms and explosives which the Lebanese had found had been given to the fedayeen by the Egyptian Government at the suggestion of the Lebanese Government. (Ibid., 684A.86/11–2756)↩