PRESENTATION BY THE HEAD OF THE MIDDLE EAST DEPARTMENT OF THE USSR MFA I.I. BAKULIN AND DEPUTY HEAD OF THE MIDDLE EAST DEPARTMENT OF THE USSR MFA MA MAKSIMOVA TO DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE USSR V.A. ZORIN

Stalin, Soviets and Israeli Question

PRESENTATION BY THE HEAD OF THE MIDDLE EAST DEPARTMENT OF THE USSR MFA I.I. BAKULIN AND DEPUTY HEAD OF THE MIDDLE EAST DEPARTMENT OF THE USSR MFA MA MAKSIMOVA TO DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE USSR V.A. ZORIN

January 5, 1948

Secret

1. Bindari Pasha's conversation with the Yugoslav ambassador Popovich indicates that Bindari decided to find out through a third party whether the Soviet Government is firmly in its positions on the Palestinian issue and whether it is possible for the Arab countries to bargain out concessions from the USSR on this issue by threatening to crush everything progressive and, in particular, communist organizations in Arab countries.

It seems to us that there is hardly any need to react to this kind of sounding by Bindari.

2. As for our replies to the official inquiries of the Egyptian envoy, they (answers) were given on all questions that the envoy put before the USSR Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A list of questions for which no answers have been given to the inquiries of the Egyptian mission is attached.

3. Bindari Pasha and earlier in his conversations (for example, in a conversation with Comrade Ya.A. Malik on May 11, 1947) 2 tried to show himself as a true friend of the USSR and insisted on receiving more specific statements from the USSR Ministry of Foreign Affairs on various issues related to Egypt and Arab countries.

For example, Bindari, in the period before Egypt submitted the issue of Anglo-Egyptian disagreements to the UN, tried more than once to find out in detail the position of the USSR in a possible analysis of the conflict in the UN.

This probe by Bindari Pasha was also reacted with restraint, proceeding from the position that we did not want to be used by the Egyptian elite during bargaining with the British. The Egyptian envoy was told that since Egypt did not refer its question to the Security Council, it is difficult to say anything about our future position on this issue.

I. Bakulin M Maksimov

WUA RF. F. 021. Op. 26.P.44.D.16.Sheet 1.