Memorandum, State Department Summary of Telegrams

NLT (Naval Aide 1265 and OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE WASHINGTON DECLASSIFIED E.O. 12065, Sec. 3-402 State Dept. Guidelines, March 6, 1982 October 18, 1951 By DEB NLT, Date 45-80 SUMMARY OF TELEGRAMS UNITED KINGDOM The Secretary has given the British Counsel- lor here a personal message to Mr. Morrison in reply to the latter's personal message of October 12 concerning the Anglo-Egyptian dispute. Our note states that we deplore the action of the Egyptian Government in unilaterally abrogating the treaties and that we are prepared to render to the UK our full moral support in its resis - tance to Egyptian administrative measures designed to harass the British in Egypt. We recognize the inherent right of the British forces to defend themselves against attacks from the Egyptians and to protect British na- - tionals whose lives are jeopardized by Egyptian action. In case the Egyp- tians should extend their harassment to an outright blockade of the British forces we believe the British would be justified in taking actions whichmay become necessary to keep open the Suez Canal, and we are prepared to give our full political and diplomatic support to measures necessary (but which do not go beyond what is necessary) for the purpose of protecting the Suez base and keeping the Canal open. The note concludes by stating that we have every confidence that British forces will continue to conduct themselves, even in the face of unreasonable Egyptian action, with that restraint which is so necessary in order to retain the support of world opinion. MIDDLE EAST Both the British and the French Governments COMMAND have reaffirmed their determination to proceed with the establishment of the Middle East Com- mand regardless of Egypt's rejection of our proposals. Our Legation in Beirut reports that the Lebanese President called in the British Minister for a confidential exchange of views on the MEC. The President expressed the hope that the UK would do everything possible to lead Egypt still to ac- cept the proposal. He admitted he did not know just how this should be done, but "hoped that Western diplomacy could surmount the hurdle". He also reported that the Lebanese Prime Minister had been with King Ibn Saud of Arabia on the day the news came that Egypt had denounced the treaties with the UK. The King, he reported, had been furious and said, "does Egypt want to deliver us to the Communists? Our Legation comments TOP SECRE