The volume comprises five printed Foreign Office annual reports (for the years 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938) relating to Egypt.The printed reports follow the same format. They start with a letter from the High Commissioner to Egypt (Sir Miles Lampson) to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Sir John Simon, Anthony Eden, Viscount Halifax) with a summary of significant developments.Accompanying these letters is an enclosure with the annual report for each year. Each report starts with a contents section. The reports have an introduction and sections on internal politics and relations with the United Kingdom and the British Empire; international relations by country; relations between Egypt and the Sudan; economic and financial situation; and general matters.1 volume (166 folios)The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume.Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 168; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 5-165 ; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.
The file contains papers received or created by the Commonwealth Relations Office (CRO) relating to the Middle East (Official) Committee. It mostly consists of papers circulated to members of the Committee, received by the CRO. The file also includes: a few items of CRO correspondence with the Cabinet Office and the Offices of the United Kingdom High Commissioners in Karachi and Pretoria; and a register of papers relating to the Committee received or sent by the CRO, with internal CRO correspondence relating to the file, at the back of the file.The circulated Committee papers consist of:The agendas for, and minutes of, the Committee meetings of 3 and 17 January 1950, at which was discussed Washington discussions on economic and social development in the Middle East, the utilisation of surplus oil revenues in the Persian Gulf, technical assistance to the Middle East, and possible requirements of Middle East governments for sterling assistance for economic development.Papers prepared by the Working Party of the Committee on economic and social development in Sudan, the Persian Gulf States, and technical assistance to the Middle East.A paper stating the Committee’s general policy regarding the promotion of social progress in the Middle East, entitled ‘The Social and Internal Political Implications of Economic Development in the Middle East’, prepared as a brief for the discussions of the Committee Chairman, Michael Wright, with the United States State Department.A record of discussions between Wright and the State Department, on long-range development in the Middle East, held on 14 and 17 November 1949.Minutes of meetings between Wright, and other Foreign Office and British Embassy representatives, and the International Bank, held on 21, 22 and 23 November 1949, and a joint memorandum summarising the result of the discussions.The final report of the United Nations Economic Survey Mission for the Middle East, entitled ‘An Approach to Economic Development in the Middle East’.The United Nations Resolution of 8 December 1949 to set up a Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East.Other papers relating to technical assistance to the Middle East, and possible requests by Middle East Governments for sterling assistance in connection with their development projects in 1950 and 1951.1 file (161 folios)The papers are arranged in reverse chronological order from the front to the rear of the file.Numbers in red pen on the top right hand corner of each item in the file (apart from one item which does not have a number in red pen) refer to entries in the register of papers received and sent by the Commonwealth Relations Office at the back of the file. The copies of papers listed on the register as being sent to the Economic Registry or Mr Thomson (Economic) are not included in the file.Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 161; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
The file contains papers relating to the Working Party of the Middle East (Official) Committee. It mainly consists of Working Party papers received by the Commonwealth Relations Office, and a register of these papers with notes at the back of the file.The file includes agendas for meetings of the Working Party. It also includes papers circulated to members of the Working Party for consideration at meetings, relating to the following subjects: economic and social development in the Middle East in general; the Iraq Central Development Board; the question of an International Bank Loan for Iraq; a visit to Bahrain in January/February 1949 by Matthew Thomas Audsley; the Persian [Iranian] Seven-Year Plan; employment of British experts in the Middle East; a survey of the oil resources of the Middle East; and economic factors in Middle East development.In addition, the file includes papers relating to economic and social development of the following places: Iraq; Greater Transjordan; Saudi Arabia; Cyrenaica, Tripolitania [Libya], Eritrea, and Somalia; the Colony of Aden and the Aden Protectorate; the Lebannon; Ethiopia; Sudan; and Yemen.1 file (320 folios)The papers are arranged in reverse chronological order from the front to the rear of the file.Numbers in red pen on the top right hand corner of items in the file refer to entries in the register of papers received by the Commonwealth Relations Office at the back of the file.Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 320; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.