Memorandum, State Department Summary of Telegrams

NLT (Naval Aide) 269 OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE DECLASSIFIED WASHINGTON E.O. 12065, Sec. 3-402 State Dept. Guidelines, March 6, 1982 By DEB NLT, Date 9-5-85 October 24, 1951 T 0 p s SUMMARY OF TELEGRAMS EGYPT In reporting British stoppage of oil supplies to Egypt in retaliation for Egyptian intere ference with British military trains in the Canal Zone, Ambassador Caffery comments that, although cutting off the oil supplies would be perfectly justifiable in a more advanced emergency, he thinks that lesser retaliatory measures would have been more suitable at present. Caffery says it is essential for British military authorities in the Canal Zone to do every- thing needful and even go a little beyond that at times to protect their position there. Caffery expressed this opinion to the British Ambassador yesterday who, says Caffery, is extremely unhappy about this latest development in the situation and has telegraphed urgently to London on the subject. Caffery says that American oil representatives inform him that with careful handling there are stocks for ten days of fuel oil in Egypt and they have urgently asked him for advice. Caffery has advised them to await developments of the next two or three days. Caffery says that if the order is al- lowed to stand it might set off all sorts of difficulties; Caffery pre- fers, however, to see what reply the British Ambassador gets from London before suggesting that the Department take the matter up with the British. MIDDLE EAST Our Minister in Damascus called on the Syrian COMMAND Prime Minister Monday who expressed great interest in the Middle East Command and said he was seek ing the means of obtaining full Arab cooperation. However, he said, he urgently needs US help in dealing with the army and the opposition: the Army would be won only by arms, and his own efforts with the opposition would be greatly strengthened if the US ensures some kind of compliance by Israel with the United Nations resolutions. He emphasized that Israeli compliance was the crux of the problem and he expressed deep concern over popular opinion in Syria, citing the steady growth of the extremist influence. IQP SECAL