مجموعة ١/١٥ "شؤون مصر: الوضع العام ١٩٣١؛ المعاهدة البريطانية المصرية، ١٩٣٦" [و‎‎٤] (٤٩٣/٨)

/I,IB.
I.
i. ?
MO. 904
(1530/21/47)
' M
BRITISH
CAIRO*
3rd November, 1947*
I have the honour, with reference to paragraph 6 of my
deepatch lo-901 to inform you that when the Turkish Minister
called upon me today, I enquired of him about the remarks
attributed to him by the Egyptian newspaper Al Assas concerning
the formation of a Moslem League*
2* Monsieur Ayasli told me that he had answered a number of
questions from the representative of the AlAssae during 6ne
of his press conferences, but that his remarks had been reported
quite inaccurately* \.hen he had been asked what he thought about
the possibility of Turkey joining the Arab League, he replied
that this was evidently impossible since the 'Turks vrere not Arabs*
The journalist had then suggested the transformation of the Arab .
League into a Moslem League so that Turkey could become a member.
The Minister answered that Turkey was organised on a lay basis
and that therefore a religious basis for such a league was
inappropriate. How, moreover, could the Christian Lebanon be a
member of a Moslem League?* A religious basis was in his view
in any case inadvisable on wider grounds* on the other liana
he thought that a league of all nations of the Middle East on the
lines of a regional arrangement such as was contemplated by the
Charter of the United Nations, would be useful.
3* Discussion elicited from Monsieur Ayasli that lie was
aware that the Egyptian Govern sent might not relish a development
of this kind since it might ffear for the leadership of the irab
League at present enjoyed by Egypt* He did not, however, appear J
to set much store by this point and went on to express the opinion
that with the emergence of Pakistan as a large and potentially
rich, important Moslem State with a numerous population, Turkey,
Egypt and ^Qkistan could provide a balance which would remove the
temptation for considerations of jealousy and rivalry* Pakistan
would clearly exert a great influence amongst the Middle Eastern
countries* I suggested that Turkey, on her part, could hardly
fall to have considerable influence, to which Monsieur Ayasli
assented in modest terms*
4* I am sending a copy of this despatch to His Majesty^
Ambassadors end . inieters at nkara, Baghdad, Teheran, Beirut,
Damascus, Anraun and jedda;
I have the honour to be,
With the highest respect.
Sir,
Your most obedient, humble servant.
(Sgd.) RONALD CAMPBELL
The Right Honourable
^rnest gevin, M.r.,
Foreign Office,
London, l* .1*