Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, Austrian State Treaty; Summit and Foreign Ministers Meetings, 1955, Volume V

244. Letter From Prime Minister Eden to President Eisenhower¹

Geneva, July 23, 1955.

Dear Mr. President: Following our conversation about tanks for Iraq,² I write to let you know that the United Kingdom Government would be prepared to play their part in providing these, and would accept an expenditure of half a million pounds. As a Centurion with spares costs about 50,000 pounds, this would produce ten tanks.

Iraq requires about eighty Centurions. The gift of ten tanks by the United Kingdom would be complementary to the supply of the remaining seventy by the United States under off-shore purchases.

I agree with you that it is important the shipment of the tanks should begin at the earliest possible moment, and I am giving the necessary instructions so that we can get moving the moment we get the all clear from you.

Yours ever

Anthony³

1. Source: Eisenhower Library, White House Office, Project “Clean Up”.
2. See Document 199.
3. Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.