Office of the Historian

774.56/4–1453: Telegram

No. 1144
The Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom1

confidential
Washington, April 14, 1953—6:21 p.m.

6804. Egyptian arms request (Deptel 6614 Apr 6)2 now screened to eliminate “guerrilla warfare” items. Delivery times approximately same as first list. Embassy requested inform British main items as given below requesting comments soonest. Department will consider any points British wish make but continues reserve right make final decision on sale all items. Department informing British Embassy here.

Tanks—111, with spares; tank trainers—6; dozers—12, with spares. armored cars—60, with spares; mine detectors—200; exploders—40; radios—273, various types mainly for above equipment. ammunition—37mm, 76mm, 50mm, 30mm, in same or less quantity than first list.

Smith
  1. Repeated to Cairo as telegram 2006.↩
  2. In telegram 6614, Apr. 6, not printed, the Department informed the Embassy in London that the Egyptians had just presented the Department with a revised interim arms list which included a considerable number of potential “guerilla warfare” items. This development represented a drastic change from Egypt’s previous list; consequently, the Department was in the process of analyzing it. (774.56/4–653)↩