Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, Near East Region; Iran; Iraq, Volume XII

57. Memorandum From the Under Secretary of State (Hoover) to the Secretary of State¹

Washington, July 11, 1955.

1. At this morning’s briefing for the President on our Middle East plans and strategy, he approved the position which we outlined would be taken in talks with the British.²

2. The President was especially emphatic that we should (a) continue our present policy and limited level of offshore procurement from British sources, and (b) make every effort to have them dig further into their own resources to help in the defense of the area.

3. I showed him the list of military items requested by the Egyptians.³ He observed that while it might appear costly to the Egyptians, it actually did not represent a particularly potent military force. Unless we felt it would raise undue complications with the Israelis, he saw no objection to selling them part or all of it. The President thought we should make a concerted effort to “woo” Nasser.

4. Secretary Anderson, Admiral, Radford, and Dillon Anderson were present.

Herbert Hoover, Jr.⁴

1. Source: Department of State, NEA Files: Lot 59 D 518. Top Secret.
2. See supra.
3. See telegram 11 from Cairo, July 2, vol. XIV, p. 274.
4. Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.