641.74/10–1551
Memorandum for the Files by the Deputy Under Secretary of State (Matthews)1
Following the meeting held in my office Saturday morning, October 13, with Sir Oliver Franks and Mr. Burrows, Mr. McGhee, Mr. Perkins and myself, I telephoned the Secretary in the country concerning Mr. Morrison’s personal message to him on the Egyptian situation. The Secretary had read Mr. Morrison’s message and I outlined to him our thinking concerning an interim reply. The Secretary felt we should take a rather “stout-hearted” attitude. He said the situation in Egypt, involving the unilateral abrogation of treaty rights, and with British forces actually on the ground, was quite a different one from that in Iran. He asked me to telephone Sir Oliver Franks, and referring to our recognition of this difference between the two situations to say that we are in full accord with the British with regard to stages 1 and 2 and these would present us with no problem. Stage 3 might involve far-reaching consequences and therefore would require rather full consultation within our Government, including the Secretary of Defense and the President. However, Mr. Acheson’s first impression was not unfavorable.
[Page 403]I reached Sir Oliver by telephone at 3 o’clock and conveyed the foregoing to him. He said he thought this interim reply would meet his requirements for the weekend and expressed his appreciation.
I said our military would probably want more details from the British military as to just what specific steps the British had in mind.
I also asked Sir Oliver if he could ascertain any plans the British Government might have for the protection of British and other foreign lives in Cairo or elsewhere in Egypt if rioting broke out following parliamentary action on the treaty today.2