780.5/8–2354
No. 225
Memorandum by the Secretary of State
to the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern, South
Asian, and African Affairs (Byroade)
I am greatly disturbed over the report that Iraq is planning a security pact with Egypt and is moving away from the idea of joining up with Turkey and Pakistan.
We bought the idea of military aid to Iraq on the theory that it was going to tie up with the northern tier countries and not merely build up the Arab League as against Israel.
When the Iraqi Prime Minister was here, he told me of the projected union with Syria and Lebanon, and I told him that because this would bring their influence to the Israel border, I thought it should be preceded by their moving along with Turkey and Pakistan. I understood him to indicate that he would do so. Now this proposal of joining with Egypt to strengthen the Arab Collective Security Pact comes up. I frankly do not like it and I believe it might cause us to invoke the Iraq Mutual Security Agreement provision that we may review our military aid in the light of the international situation at the time.