Editorial Note
Embassy Cairo, on October 18, advised that Colonel Ismail Chirine, brother-in-law of King Farouk and Director of the Egyptian Administration of Palestine, came to see Ambassador Caffery a few days before, together with Azzam Pasha. On the 17th, the Ambassador [Page 1033] received an aide-mémoire, dated October 10, from the Foreign Office that dealt with Colonel Chirine’s remarks. The aide-mémoire denounced the “continual and illicit presence of Israeli forces” at Om Rashrash and Bir Kattar near the Gulf of Akaba as violations of the Egyptian-Israeli armistice agreement of 1949 (despatch 932).
The Department replied on November 18 that “it would be inappropriate to comment on this matter since it clearly falls within jurisdiction of Mixed Armistice Commission and Special Committee established by Egypto-Israeli General Armistice of February 24, 1949. Should Colonel Chirine Bey raise matter with the Embassy again, it is suggested that you might wish to point out that, while we are not in a position to comment on these particular questions, the US Government is most anxious that letter and spirit of General Armistice Agreement be observed and believes machinery which has been established is entirely adequate to resolve any problems which may arise.” (Airgram 192) Despatch 932 and airgram 192 are both filed under 674.84A/10–1850.