BRITISH EMBASSY, CAIRO. No.l78£3X>51/3/53) August 17, 1953. CONFIDENTIAL INDEXED

My Lord Marquess, I have the honour to inform you that when I called on the Minister for Foreign Affairs on the 13th of August I took the opportunity to speak to him regarding the Anglo- Libyan Treaty. I said that some very hard words had been said about this in the press, but I personally could not really understand whether, and if so why, the Egyptian Govern- ment were opposed to it. The Libyan Government were very pleased about it as he would have seen from Muntasoer's statement published that morning. The agreement would put Libya on its feet economically and give it a good start. There did not seem to be 'any other adequate means by which this could have been assured. At the same time the presence of British troops in some otherwise deserted places in the Middle East would ensure that there was no strategic vacuum there, and add to the security of the area, which was a common interest of Egypt and of the other Middle Eastern countries. This was particularly valuable at a time when we were contemplating taking our fighting troops away from the Canal Zone and would make it less difficult for us to give acceptable terms to Egypt. 2. The Minister for Foreign Affairs showed himself to be well-informed on the whole subject. He said that the Egyptian people (he did not mention the Government at this point) thought that the presence of any foreign troops on the soil of an Arab state was bound to constitute a threat to the independence of that country. This ran counter to what they hoped for the Arab countries. Moreover, so far as financial help was concerned, the Egyptian Government would have liked it to be given internationally. He did not mention the press controversy as to how the Egyptian offer of financial aid to Libya had been made, and I did not see very much point in reminding him of it. Dr. Fawzi added that he was disturbed about the problem of Italian assets in Libya, and implied thai; the Libyan Government had had a very rough deal. He spoke as if he personally or the Egyptian Govern- ment were the legal advisers for the Libyan Governnent in all such matters. I was not previously conversant with this problem and did not follow his remarks up. 3» I concluded this part of our conversation by saying that we ought sooner or later to consider where such clashes in foreign policy were likely to lead. Her Majesty's Government had long-standing friendships with many countries in the Middle East including, they hoped, Egypt. Were the Egyptian Governnent wedded to a policy of undermining our friendships and destroying our interests in every country whenever possible? I very much hoped this was not so, because it would not in the least coincide with our attempt to sink our differences about the Canal Zone Base, on which Her Majesty's Government were being asked to make a most prodigious effort. To this Dr. Fawzi made his usual very smooth reply, but in the course of his rather general remarks he used the phrase "inevitability of/. The Most Honourable, The Marquess of Salisbury, K.G. , P.O., . Foreign Office, LONDON. S.W. 1. PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE Reference:-

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Charge d'Affaires, Cairo (Mr. Murumbi) 13. Mr. Fenner Brockway asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if, in view of the fresh evidence submitted to him demonstrating the incorrectness of his original information, he will instruct the British Ambassador at Cairo to with- draw the charge made by the Charge d'Affaires against Mr. Joseph Murumbi of being an emissary of Mau Mau. Mr. Selwyn Lloyd: It is true that on 28th August Her Majesty's Charge d'Affaires at Cairo did, in a communica- tion to the Egyptian Government, refer to Mr. Murumbi as: " variously described as Vice-President of the African Union, an illegal organisation, and as a representative of the Mau Mau movement in Kenya." That description was in accordance with reports in the Egyptian Press relating to interviews with Mr. Murumbi. Those reports were not at the time contradicted by Mr. Murumbi. Since that date Mr. Murumbi has stated that he is not a representative of Mau Mau and is, in fact, opposed to the movement. Her Majesty's Government are glad to hear this and trust that this Question and answer have clarified the position. Mr. Brockway : While 1 appreciate that recognition, may I ask the right hon. and learned Gentleman whether he is aware th^t Mr. Murumbi repudiated those reports while he was in Cairo, when he called a special Press conference for the purpose and issued a statement to the Press agencies in Egypt? As many of us who know Mr. Murumbi have no doubt upon this matter, and in view of the correction which has appeared in "The Times," will the right hon. and learned Gentleman make it clear that the charge is withdrawn? , Mr. Lloyd: In my answer I dealt with ' the information in the possession of Her Majesty's Charge d'Affaires at the time the communication was made to the Egyptian Government. With regard to the latter part of the supplementary, I think that today's Question and answer have dealt with that.

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of gradualness" in such a way ae to leave on my mind the impression that the Egyptian Government hoped eventually to see the end of Western dominance in the Middle East and no doubt to "become themselves the leading state in this part of the world. One sees this tendency only too clearly in the Sudan and also in the Arab League. 4. If this interpretation is correct, the degree of cooperation with Egypt to which we can look forward, even if we make an agreement about the Canal Zone Base, may "be severely qualified. I-am coming more and more to the opinion that even if we sink our differences in that respect, we shall never "be able to regard Egypt as a really reliable friend unless we are able to make collaboration worth-while and at the same time to ensure that our rights are respected. The question is whether any agreement we may conclude about the Canal Zone Base will leave us in a position to keep Egypt up to her obligations. It seems very doubtful. No doubt the presence of our troops in Libya will diminish our over-all weakness in the area, but I feel increasingly sure that we shall have to back our position in Egypt with a flow of economic and perhaps also military assistance (and I mean a flow as opposed to lump sum generosity) which can be turned off like a tap if Egypt misbehaves. The inference of any such requirement as regards cooperation with the United States Government is obvious. 5. I am sending a copy of this despatch to the British Middle East Office and Tripoli. I have the honour to be, With the highest respect, My Lord Marquess, Your Lordship's obedient Servant, . 1 i | i | | r~>^Z'"1l/Jrvic\~7'7l ^3 / ^ ^-""l F<—'_!> \ 1 I ( LJ oL / »s. I 1 I <>- Q I 1 2 • 1 I 1 1 LL i i i COPYRIGHT - NOT TO BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHICALLY WITHOUT PERM SSION

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PROM CAIRO TO FOREIGN OFFICE Mr. M.J. Oreswell No. 3*11 Saving November 27, 1953.

UNCLASSIFIED .

Addressed to Foreign Office telegram NO. 311 Saving of November 27, repeated for information Saving to:- Washington No, 407, Paris No. 513 and B.M.Ii.O. No. 491.

On the occasion of General Naguib's visit to Alexandria on November 26 to lay the foundation stone of the new University City,,a mass meeting was 'Organised by the Liberation Kelly ut which the General, Col. Abaci Nasr, Major Saleh Salem and others spoke. 2. 'All stressed the theme that true independence could on?y • be obtained by force. Negotiated independence said the General, was' independence "on the cheap", which was useless. 3. Major Salem took up what he described as a suggestion of Col. Abdel Nasser's last .nonth for r. reg'.'.lar conference of Arab leaders at Jfecca, and said that what was wanted was an all- Arab 6ongress of representatives of the Arab peoples, not of the £rab Governments, and it should meet in Cairo, Erypt should cooperate with the j'rab peoples in order to bring into existence a bloc which the world would be compelled to respect. 4. At a press conference after the meeting Major Salem in reply to question t'.~ /eloped the theme that ii^ypt should rely only on herself, since no country courted her except in pursuit of its own ends. Hope of assistance from America was a irirege. Any commitments un:1er Point IV had been made by the previous reg. x;, and the revolutionary regime "had courageously accepted the continuance of this assistance", which was purely technical and carried no political strings. Any aid which imposed obli^atr.o'is would be refused. Egypt would be a satellite o? neither L'ast nor West. Her relations with Russia were normal, and she welcomed cooperation in nil fields with any country in the world, including Russia,

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Parliamentary Question •jf 29 Mr. Brockway: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, on what grounds the British Embassy at Cairo protested to the Government of Egypt against the granting of L interviews by General Neguib and other Ministers to Mr. Josef Murjumbi. C/un% 260CT 1955

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1822 Oct0ber 22f 1953 D. 12.58 P.m.-Octrter 22, 1953

My telegram N«. 1808: [rarliamentary QuestUm em Murunbil* Question mow withir«wi.

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If During his vialt to Egypt Mr. Murunibl gave several interviews to the Egyptian press in which i he was reported as favouring revolt in Kenya and i strongly condemning British policy in that country, Her Majesty's Charg6 d1Affaires therefore protested to the Egyptian Government against the granting of an interview to Mr. Murunibi fcy General Negulb and showed the Egyptian Foreign Minister copies of articles which had resulted » from interviews with Mr, Murunibi, in I Points for Supplementaries, H- (l) If asked whether Mr. Murunibl had not

denied that he supported the Kenya Z tu revolt the reply could be given that he made only a very "belated and ineffectual

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(3) If asked about the accuracy of Egyptian press reporting of Mr. Murumbi the reply could be given that the Egyptian press had gone so far as to describe him as "a delegate of Mau Mau" in one instance and it was only after several days that O iir, Murumbi took steps to deny this. ec < By this time the damage had already been V) done in Egypt. X h- (3) If asked what steps Her Majesty's Ambassador took to verify the statements i reported in the Egyptian press the reply tc could be given that in view of the ui CQ strong statements on the subject of the 0 Kenya revolt which were reported, the fact that they were not disavowed at the time "by Mr. Murumbi and the fact that the o z Egyptian censor had passed them, fully justified the protest by Her Majesty's ] Charge1 d' Affaires.

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CONFIDENTIAL J FROM CAIRO TO FOREIGN OFFICE Cypher/OTP DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION Mr. Hankey No. UQ9 *. 10. H t. a. October 7, 1953 October 7, 1953 R. 11.05 a.m. October 7, 1953 PRIORITY ' CONFIDENTIAL (0238. Your telegram No. 1689. The Times ctrresptnAent was t«li informally "by telephone «a August 28 that I "hat maie representations t» the Minister f«r Foreign Affairs regarding the interriews granted "by General Neguib an! other menbers of the Committee of the Revolutionary Council to Mr. Murumbl, variously iescribei as Vice President of the illegal Africa Union anal as a representative of the Mau Mau Movement in Kenya. The Minister for Foreign Affairs gave an assurance that it was not the policy of the Egyptian Government to encourage subversive moveaents ia British territory." 2. The principal tgencies anfl fareipn Press correspondents in Cairo were told the same thing with slight vtriatitns in wording. In all cases it was maSe clear that descriptiopti n of Murumbi .was that given in local Press.^ J~(> J02' / / 3, Murumbi was described asx'the ieletate of the Mau MauM in the aricle in the semi-official orgcn "Al Tshrir" enclosed Tdth ny despatch No. 189/Extracts in translation froti other relevant articles follow by bag. ^ ^^ \P^"> i.. I hare nothing to add to the corjmtlit in paragraph 10 of Chancery letter 1512/8/52 of September £8 that, although the emphasis on Murumbi1s ctnnexion with the Mau M*u may have been primarily the work of the Egyptian Press, he made only a very belated and ineffectual effort to disavow it, and that only when he was about to leave for England. DISTRIBUTED TO; African Department ^ News Department. to

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Top Secret. During his visit to Egypt Mr. Murumbi gave Secret. D * i several interviews to the Egyptian press in which he Confidential. rTpl m at Restricted ^•'" ' •&*y' vtvtt>4r *»» if *y< Open. strongly condemning British policy in Kenya. Her Dro/if. reply. Majesty's Charge d' Affaires /protested to the Egyptian Government against the granting of an interview to Mr. Murumbi by General Neguib and beaded the Egyptian Foreign Minister copies of articles which had resulted from interviews with Mr. Murumbi.

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NOTH I gone so far as to describe him as "a delegate of Mau Mau" in one instance and it was only after several days that Mr. Mururnl: took steps to deny this. By this time th< damage had already been done in Egypt. (3) If asked what steps Her Majesty's Ambassad took to verify the statements reported in the Egyptian press the reply could be give that in view of the strong statements on

/the fact

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the fact that they were not disavowed at the time by Mr. Mururabi and the fact that th Egyptian censor had passed them, fully justified n«» mid onll ftp the protest by Her Majesty's ChargS d1Affaires.

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refuses to settle on that basis but ' •" insists on claiming heavy damages , then "The Times" will contest the case on the lines indicated in my original minute of October, 2nd contained in «JE 1023/9. Mr. McDonald has promised to keep me informed of any further development from his end......

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ARU-.IVF.S COPY. EGYPT AND SUDAN NOT hOR CIRCULATION. September 23, 1953 JE 1023/6 Section 1

THE POSSIBILITY OF EGYPT RAISING THE KENYA QUESTION AT THE UNITED NATIONS The Hon. R. Hankey to Lord Salisbury. (Received September 23) (No. 204. Confidential) Cairo, Communists' object to create and use an My Lord Marquess, September 21, 1953. anti-imperialist movement in order to make In my telegram No. 198 Saving I recorded trouble between the British and their friends the representations which I made to the on such matters. Minister for Foreign Affairs regarding the 4. The Minister took note of what I had prominence given in certain influential said, but said he thought that the sections of the press to the visit of Mr. United Nations would be an excellent Joseph Murumbi who was stated to be a forum for us to present our case as regards delegate of the proscribed African Union Kenya. He did not attempt to deny what of Kenya and even a representative of Mau Al Misri had said. I repeated that any Mau. action by the Egyptian delegation in this 2. I have the honour to inform you that sense could not fail to create great resent- in Al Misri of the 18th of September, Dr. ment and ill-feeling against Egypt in Great Badawi, the leader of the Egyptian Dele- Britain. gation to the United Nations was reported 5. I have for some time past been con- as saying that " the defence of freedom cerned at the lengths to which the policy of everywhere against imperialism and positive opposing " imperialism " is being carried in neutrality between East and West constitute this country. Some members of the Council the basic fundamentals of Egypt's foreign for the Revolutionary Command (e.g., policy " and further that " priority will be Colonel Anwar el Sadat the managing editor accorded by the Egyptian delegation to of Al Tahrir) and some civilian members of exposing imperialism in .... Kenya." the Egyptian Government (e.g., M. Fathy 3. As I had to see the Minister for Radwan the Minister of State) are so Foreign Affairs on other matters on the 19th extremist in this respect as to lend them- of September I drew his attention to this selves easily to Communist manoeuvres, if, statement. I reminded him of what I had indeed, they are not fellow-travellers or said before and told him that by no stretch under-cover Communists themselves. We of imagination could the internal affairs of should not be under any illusion as to the Kenya properly come within the purview of danger which such men represent to our the United Nations. In any case I must interests here with their anti-imperialist and again repeat that the Mau Man movement neutralist theories, although there is a great was a revolt against any progressive civilisa- deal of loose and sentimental thinking on tion and that no Government worth the the subject both of " imperialism" and name could possibly allow savage murders " neutrality." There is little doubt that this and mutilations to continue in the name of tendency is, if anything, on the increase in that or any other movement. So far from Egypt, and it may well become more pro- its being " anti-imperialist," the vast number nounced when British troops are withdrawn, of victims had been Africans who had died if the other members of the Council for the in the most horrible circumstances. I told Revolutionary Command do nothing more the Minister that speaking without instruc- active to oppose it. tions and as a representative Englishman, I 6. I am sending a copy of this despatch could assure him that great harm would be to the United Kingdom Delegation to the done to Egypt's reputation in Great Britain United Nations at New York, to Her if their delegation tried to raise this matter Majesty's Ambassadors at Washington and at the United Nations or supported other Paris, to the British Middle East Office and delegations in doing so. No one but the to the Governor of Kenya. Communists could possibly gain from carry- I have, &c. ing the so-called anti-imperialist movement R. M. A. HANKEY. to such lengths. It was undoubtedly the 179—14 PUBLIC RECORD OFFIpg 1 2 3 » s 4 Reference:- I

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COPY OFFICE OP THE HIGH COMMISSIONER Ref: POL A/17 FOR THE UNITED KINGDOM, * 6, ALBUQUERQUE ROAD, I , CONFIDENTIAL NEW DELHI. 5th September, 1953.

Dear Tony, Please refer to Young's letter to you of 8th August (POL A/17) about Murumbi, the former Secretary-General of the Kenya African Union. We gather from press reports that, despite his assurances to us here, that he would be going to the United Kingdom via Paris, Murumbi has actually been spending some time in Cairo where he is said to have been cordially received by the Egyptian authorities. 2. Pillai told Middleton the other day that before leaving Delhi finally Murumbi had given a personal undertaking that he would go direct to London, (there had already been some talk of Murumbi stopping in Cairo in May when he appeared at that time to be on the point of leaving India for the United Kingdom). Pillai went on to say that he considered it deplorable that Murumbi should have stopped off in Cairo and that the Government of India definitely hoped that he would not return here again. 3. From conversations which I have recently had with Peter Evans, the lawyer who was declared a prohibited immigrant in Kenya, I should not be surprised if he had had some hand in persuading Murumbi to stop in Cairo. Evans said that &e considered all African leaders should "get together . Later in the conversation he also volunteered the remark that one of the Middle Eastern countries" might well still raise the Kenya issue in the United Nations before long. It. We should be very interested to hear of Murumbi's activities in the United Kingdom and particularly if there appears to be any chance of his returning to India. 5. I am sending a copy of this letter to the Chancery at Cairo. Yours ever, (Sgd) Victor (V.C. Martin) F.A.K. Harrison, Esq., Commonwealth Relations Office, London, S.W.I. £ 1 2 k 5 « PUBLIC R CQRD OFFICE. 3 Jleference:-

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Would you please refer to the letter No. POL. A/17 of the 5th September from the Office of the High Commissioner for the United Kingdom In New Delhi about Murumbl. /"3"£ I ^* ' If you and Ledward at the/Foreign Office, to whom I am sending a copy of this letter, see no objection I propose to se^nd New Delhi for information a copy of Cairo7 telegram No. 19*i • Saving of the 27th August^ I wo-ild aleo be jgQfltKratefui for any further Information about "whatMi haa been doing in Cairo or here for the Information of New Delhi.AB it appears possible that other African nationalists may be trying to make their way to India in the fiiture. £t would, I think, be.useful to nelhl to have a record of how this particular one haa behaved after leaving them*

(R.C. Ormerod) H.P. HALL, ESO. , M. B, E. , COLOHIAL OFFICE. J BRITISH EMBASSY, • 1512/2/53 V^M^ s CONFIDENTIAL „ \/\ s August 31, 1953.

Dear Department, please refer to paragraph k of our telegram No .196 Saving of August 27, concerning the representations made to the Egyptian Minister for Foreign Affairs about the way in which the Egyptian Government had received Joseph Murumbi or Zuzarte. 2. On Friday, August 28, in view of the interest aroused by apparent Egyptian sponsorship of a Mau Mau representative the Embassy spokesman here told the press that these representations had been made and added that "The Minister for Foreign Affairs gave an assurance that it was not the policy of the Egyptian Governnent to encourage subversive movements in British territory". 3. Later the same evening, Dr. Fawzi, in reply to questions from journalists, made the following oral comment on the above statement: "This statement does not tell the whole story. In fact it bears no similarity whatsoever to what actually took place. Our policy is consistent against the suffocation of freedom anywhere in the world". Dr. Fawzi also remarked that he was astonished that the British Embassy had issued a statement without consulting him, and expressed the view that to do so was contrary to diplomatic procedure. In view of the frequency with which our own representations are revealed to the press with the Egyptian colour put on them (c.f. case of Riches) we were interested to have this on record. U. On Saturday morning, August 29, our spokesman simply commented that Dr. Fawzi had indeed given an assurance to the British Charge d1 Affaires and that we were by no means clear as to what his comment meant. 5« Late on Saturday night the Ministry of" Foreign Affairs circulated to all papers a written statement which they were directed to print without modification in any way A cutting from the "Egyptian Gazette" which gives the text of this statement, translated into English, is attached. 6. The fact is that the Egyptian Government have put a foot wrong, under the impulsion of their wild men like Anwar Sadat and are now trying to bluster their way out of it. v/e hope the incident may make them more careful, even if they are incapable of being good. ?• This is largely a storm in a teacup, but it gives another indication of how sensitive the Egyptian Government is to any suggestion that it may be lagging behind in the "fight against imperialism", even when such a disreputable body as Mau Mau is in question. The anti-imperialist motif has gone so deep here that we have grave doubts whether it will not poison our relations in the future even if we make a new agreement about the Canal Zone. Yours ever,

CHANCERY. African Department, fk Foreign office, (U LONDON, S.W.1. INWARQ SA.ViM ADVANCE COPY '

SAVIHG TELEGRAM /DBD

C.T.P. by Confidential Bag FROM CAIRO TO FOREIGN OFFICE Mr. R.M.A. Hankey No. 198 Saving i Date August 27, 1953. \ Repeated to:- Paris 34-8(3 Nairobi l(S Rome -1(8) C021FIDEOTIAL 'R.M.^.O. MAU..MU Some publicity has recently been given to activities of a B.S. from Kenya named iuurumbi (peasport in name of Joseph Anthony Zuzarte) variousljr described GS a delegate of Mau Meu and Vice President of African Union who is on his way to London via Italy and I'Vance. This culminated yesterday in two disgraceful articles praising Mc.u lieu for its gallant resistance to imperialism, one by-Anwar Sadat, editor of Al Tnhrir and a member, of C.R.O.,, the other also in Al Tahrir purporting to be what Hurumbi said to C.R.C. himself. 2. Enquiries reveal that Murumbi came here with gratis visa from Bombay and was at once received by President ITaguib and Salah Salem on or about August 15, 3. I have today made strong representations about this to the Ministerial? Foreign Affairs. I explained background and nature of Mau Mau at length. I said thct Egyptian Government accepted a heavy responsibility in giving facilities to r.nd encouraging a man described as representing this terrorist organisation. It was frankly intolerable that President Naguib should receive a man of this sort especially when he apparently would not receive me, the representative of Her Majesty1s Government. According to the press Murumbi had interviewed Uganda students at Al Azhar university and talked of founding a branch of illegal Africa Union in Egypt. All t' is passed the Egyptian censor. I insisted on being informed at once whether it was the Egyptian Government's policy to promote subversion. 4. The Minister for Foreign Affairs evidently did not know about all this, took copious notes and read Anwar Sadat's article. He said rr.ther sympathetically that he would see what could be done about it. He could assure me that it was not repeat not the policy of the Egyptian Government to promote subversion but naturally there was o limit to their power to control entry of foreigners to Egypt and activity of foreigners there. I said much damage was done already. He must see it did not recur. It was his job as Minister for Foreign Affairs to see what sort of people the regime got themselves compromised with. He would find such errors would make his own taskjgpn.times more difficult.

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