Memorandum of Conversation with Secretary of State Dean Acheson, President Harry S. Truman, and Averell Harriman

893 ife SECRST SECURITY INFORMATION 348 January 7, 1953 389 Meeting with the President 410 Subject: Grant Military Aid for Egypt Participants: The President Mr. Harriman Mr. Acheson Following my conference with Mr. Harriman yesterday afternoon, he and I called upon the resident at 10:45 to pre- sent the problem and our recommendations to him. At his request, I outlined the problem and made my recommendation, and Mr. Harriman then added his observations and his recom- mendation. I sketched for the President the present situation in Egypt, the great importance of supporting and strengthening Naguib and his régime as the best hope for a western orienta- tion of Egypt, the solution of the Sudan and base problems with the British, the creation of the Middle East Defense Organiza- tion and the establishment of peace and an increased degree of stability and security in the Middle East. I referred to Mr. Caffery's cables and stressed the critical nature at the present time and the succeeding two or three weeks of the discussions which were going on with the British in London. I recognized quite frankly the difficulty of an outgoing adminis- tration taking an initial step of considerable importance without the ability to carry this step through or to work out in sufficient detail and make public the subsequent steps, of which this may be a part. I recognized the legitimate concern of the Israeli Government, but pointed out that the best hope for peace in the Middle East depended upon the Naguib régime, which was in dif- ficulties, and that all chances of peace and the security of Israel would be greatly threatened by a collapse of the Naguib régime and the rise of uncontrollable nationalism in Egypt. Mr. Harriman stressed, as he had last night, the im- portance of doing what I had suggested and said he would un- hesitatingly support the recommendation if this Government had sufficient time to carry the whole program through. He thought DECLASSIFIED STATE DEPT. LTR. 5.5-d3 that, TORSECON Project NLT F2-4 SECURITY INTORNATION By NLT- HL NARS, Dit 6-20-13