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  4. Document 1013

890D.00/931

Memorandum by the Secretary of State of a Conversation With the British Minister of State for the Middle East (Casey)

[ Washington ,] January 5, 1943.

Former Minister Casey,1 who for some months has been stationed in Cairo, called to pay his respects.

In the course of a general exchange of information in regard to affairs in Egypt and Africa, the Minister said that he had been obliged to exercise great restraint in conversations with General De Gaulle2 about affairs in Syria and the Lebanon and that it was almost impossible for him to talk to De Gaulle in the circumstances. He said that the French have no idea whatever of giving up Syria or allowing Syria to have her independence. He added that the French were rebuffing the British at every turn.

The Minister had no sidelights on the Palestine situation.

C[ordell] H[ull]
  1. Richard G. Casey, formerly Australian Minister to the United States.↩
  2. Gen. Charles de Gaulle, President of the French National Committee.↩