Memorandum, State Department Summary of Telegrams

NLT (Naval Aid ) 337 OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE WASHINGTON E.O. Guidelines, March 6, 1932 12065, March 17, 1952 State By. DEB Dept. NLT, Date 9-9-81 TOP SECRET SECURITY INFORMATION SUMMARY OF TELEGRAMS UK-EGYPT Our Embassy in London has forwarded the abbreviated draft text of a proposed joint UK-Egyptian statement which has had Cabinet approval and represents the goal toward which the UK Ambassador in Cairo should try to steer negotiations. Foreign Secretary Eden told our Ambassador that he was not fully satisfied with the results but felt he had ob- tained the maximum possible in the way of concessions to Egypt. The state- ment would say that the British accept the principle of progressive withdrawal of British combat troops from Egypt on the basis that Egypt agrees to par- - ticipate fully with governments of other interested powers in a collective de- - fense organization for the Middle East. On the Sudan, after stating that both governments recognize the right of the Sudanese people to self-determination, the draft reads that both governments would agree to support the Governor - General of the Sudan in forming a Sudan Council of Ministers and Parliament as soon as possible. If this Sudan Cabinet and Parliament, when created, should decide to acknowledge the symbolic sovereignty of the King of Egypt until such time as they can freely determine their future status, the UK would willingly accept their decision. In addition to its approval of the proposed joint statement the Cabinet has also made the following decisions: 1) to permit the British Am- bassador in Cairo to inform the Egyptian Prime Minister that if negotiations are begun and if conditions in Egypt permit, the UK would be willing to start at once to evacuate some of the British forces over the treaty limits; and 2) to give the British Ambassador latitude under the principles of the joint statement to negotiate up to the point of withdrawal of the entire ground strik- ing force, leaving only administrative, technical and Air Force troops in Egypt as British contingents under the Middle East Command. Our Embassy has informally expressed disappointment to the British Foreign Office regarding the portions of the proposed joint statement which deal with the Sudan. The Embassy pointed out that without some provisional recognition of the title "King of the Sudan" and assurance to the Egyptians that consultation with the Sudanese will be undertaken under neutral conditions, there seemed to be little chance of Egyptian acceptance. TOP SECRET SECURITY INFORMATION-