Memorandum, State Department Summary of Telegrams

R OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE DECLASSIFIED WASHINGTON 12065, Sec. 3-402 1982 State By Dept. DEB E.O. Guidelines, NLT, Date SECRET 6, May 12, 1952 SECURITY INFORMA TION SUMMARY OF TELEGRAMS EGYPT Our Ambassador in Cairo has been told by the Foreign Minister that the Egyptian reply on the British formula for the Sudan will be handed to the British Ambassador in Cairo today. It will firmly reject the formula but will not call for an end to negotiations. Meanwhile, Ambassador Gifford in London has expressed his concern over reports from Cairo that the Egyptians are adamant on the question of British recognition of the King's title without consultation with the Sudanese. This, taken together with Egypt's point of view on the defense plan, appears to him to be tantamount to saying "either concede what we ask, or we wontt negotiate. " While he does not maintain that the British have moved as fast or as far as they should have, he points out they have indicated their willingness to withdraw the bulk of their forces from the Canal Zone if alternative arrangements for the defense of the base can be worked out; they have offered to consult the Sudanese regard- ing the King's title; and they stand ready to give the Egyptians a working partnership in the Sudan, to encourage closer relations between the two countries, to give the Sudanese a free choice in the exercise of their right of self-determination and to guarantee an equitable division of the Nile waters. He does not suggest that the British are all right and the Egyptians all wrong, but he does believe that the record thus far in the negotiations seems to indicate that the Egyptians have made no effort comparable to the British to find the middle ground of compromise, and until we can find some means of persuading them to do so, he sees no prospect of a settlement. EUROPEAN Our Ambassador in Paris reports that the heads of DEFENSE COMMUNITY all delegations to the European Defense Community conference have agreed that the earliest feasible date TREATY for an EDC Ministers meeting is May 19. Italian Prime Minister De Gasperi has now agreed to send a alternate to the meeting, since he will be unable to attend because of his election campaign, but will not authorize this alternate to sign the treaty. In view of this, the most feasible schedule would appear to be the following: May 19-21 - -- EDC Ministers meeting in Paris; May 22-24 - - Secretary SECRET SECURITY INFORMA TION