Memorandum of Conversation with Secretary of State Dean Acheson, Ambassador of Egypt Mohamed Salaheddin Bey, Foreign Minister of Egypt Mohamed Kamil Bey Abdul Rahim, George McGhee, and Mr. Day

2741 DEPARTMENT OF STATE 356 s/s M.A. Memorandum of Conversation conf. 278 DATE: October 17, 1950 SUBJECT: Egyptian attitude regarding the following: 1. Uniting for peace resolution 2. Defense of the Near East 3. Relations with the U.K. PARTICIPANTS: Mohamed Salaheddin Bey, Foreign Minister of Egypt Mohamed Kamil Bey Abdul Rahim, Egyptian Ambassador The Secretary NEA - Mr. McGhee NE - Mr. Day COPIES TO: s/s, G, NEA, UNP, BNA, NE, DRN, CIA, London, Cairo and USUN u. S, GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 16-61120-1 The Foreign Minister opened the discussion with a reference to certain amendments which his delegation had proposed for the uniting for Peace resolution in the General Assembly. Some of then had been accepted, he said, but the most important one had not. This amendment was to the effect that sensitive areas should be given priority in the supply of military equipment. lle contended that sone of the sponsoring governments had blocked it, in particular the United Kingdom. The U.K., he said, wished to keep Egypt weak so that it could maintain its troops there. I said that I had not been informed as to the positions of the other sponsoring states on this question. Dr. Salaheddin then stated that Egypt was anxious to do its part in the defense of the Near East, in dooperation with the United Nations, However, so long as British troops were present in the country Egypt could never become strong enough, nor indeed would it be willing, to share in the common defense. The U.K, was assuming the responsibility for the defense of the area, and Egypt was not being permitted to play its part. I asked if Egypt would care to see the British abandon their responsibility in this respect. The Foreign Minister replied that it would be happy to see this. Upon my expression of surprise at this view, he qualified it by stating that he had offered the U.K. very generous terms by which British troops could defend the area in time of war. These terms were: DECLASSIFIED 1. The right E.O. 12065, Sec. 3-402 the State Dept. Guideline, June 12, 1979 F.R.ORG.,. 1950 V Micc 309 By LTric NARS, Date 2.20.71