501.BC/9–647: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Acting United States Representative at the United Nations (Johnson)
387. For Herschel Johnson. Maclean and Bromley, Brit Emb, today presented Department following draft resolution suggested by FonOff re Anglo-Egyptian case:
“The Security Council:
“Having considered the dispute between United Kingdom and Egypt brought to its attention by the letter of the Prime Minister of Egypt dated 8/7/1947; considering that the methods of adjustment provided for by Article 35[33] of the Charter have not been exhausted; believing that the settlement of the dispute may best be obtained under existing circumstances through recourse to those methods; noting the desire of the Egyptian Government for the early and complete evacuation of British troops from Egypt; noting also that the Government of the United Kingdom, notwithstanding the fact that the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of 1936 is still in force, have shown their willingness to negotiate a revision of that Treaty which would involve the withdrawal of British troops from Egypt; having confidence that the renewal of negotiations will result in agreement between the two parties:
“Urges the Governments of the United Kingdom and Egypt
- (a)
- To resume direct negotiations and should such negotiations fail, to seek a solution of the dispute by other peaceful means of their own choice and
- (b)
- To inform the Security Council of the result of those negotiations.”1
Dept’s views on this will be forwarded to you on Sept 8.
- In a memorandum of September 8, Mr. Satterthwaite informed Mr. Lovett that “Herschel Johnson and Sir Alexander Cadogan were to have met yesterday morning to discuss possible texts for a new resolution to be introduced in the Security Council by the Chinese delegate. Their objective was to find a formula which would satisfy the British point of view and at the same time enlist the support of either the Colombian or Syrian delegate, these two being the doubtful quantities which have hitherto prevented the Council from securing the necessary majority of seven in voting on the earlier resolutions. The current attitude of the British Foreign Office is shown by the attached copy of a draft resolution which the British Embassy left with us on Saturday [September 6]. It is if anything slightly less conciliatory than earlier proposals, and the Embassy said that the Foreign Office has now reached the view that it would prefer no resolution at all to anything which might give the Egyptians reason to believe that they had the moral support of the United Nations vis-à-vis Great Britain. The Foreign Office asked our close support in this regard.” (501.BC/9–847)↩