890F.51/29: Telegram
The Minister in Egypt (Kirk) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 24—2:45 p.m.]
1004. Personal for the Acting Secretary. My 827, June 26, 6 p.m., and Department’s 287, July 11, 10 p.m.,25 last paragraph. I feel I must again emphasize the importance of a favorable and prompt action on the matter of financial aid to Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Arabian Legation here has again approached me with a view to expediting a reply to the King’s request for a loan and it is clear that further delay will detract from the beneficial effect of whatever we may ultimately do. I realize that there must be technical difficulties involved but it seems that they have been overcome in other instances and if my word counts I can only state categorically and emphatically that a failure to make this gesture at this moment will constitute a disregard of realities in an area where we are constantly confronted with the success of such tactics when employed by the other side. It is not merely a question of buying support but chiefly one of preventing a recourse to other sources of support and that we should try to prevent everywhere regardless of the relative insignificance or geographical remoteness of the factor involved. In my opinion a great deal of unnecessary damage has resulted here from a deplorable absence of a realistic sense on the part of the democracies and I am ready to go to the limit in advocating a step which in the present scheme of things is so little and holds such beneficial potentialities within its limited context.
- Neither printed.↩