Franklin Roosevelt Meets King Abdulaziz Aboard USS Quincy
1945-02-14
The first accredited American minister had presented his credentials in 1940 while based in Cairo; a resident legation opened in Jeddah two years later. [1]
On 14 February 1945, Franklin D. Roosevelt met King Abdulaziz aboard USS Quincy on Egypt’s Great Bitter Lake. Roosevelt was returning from Yalta; the war in Europe was not yet over. [3] [2]
Palestine occupied much of their discussion. Roosevelt raised the plight of Jewish refugees from Europe. Abdulaziz opposed further Jewish immigration into Palestine and argued that the countries responsible for persecution should provide homes for its victims. They did not agree, but Roosevelt nevertheless assured the king that he would make no move hostile to the Arabs. [2]
They also discussed Syrian and Lebanese independence from France. Roosevelt spoke enthusiastically about irrigation and agricultural development, though the king’s response returned to his fears about Palestine. [2]
Sources
- Office of the Historian, Saudi Arabia
Recognition, 1931; name change, 1932; diplomatic relations, 1940; Jeddah legation, 1942
- Roosevelt–Abdulaziz conversation aboard Quincy — FRUS
Memorandum approved in Arabic and English; Palestine, Syria and Lebanon, and agriculture
- FDR, Wheelchairs, and Diplomacy — National Park Service
Return from Yalta; meeting date and Great Bitter Lake photographs
- Roosevelt and Abdulaziz aboard Quincy — U.S. Navy photo archive
Original approved-preview photograph link, retained; public access was restricted during this check. NPS reproduces the meeting photographs.
Related Reading
Cite This Article
Franklin Roosevelt Meets King Abdulaziz Aboard USS Quincy. Chanceries Diplopedia. Record ba8cd6f8f8eac98caac2. https://chanceries.org/research/history/saudi-arabia-quincy-1945-e6463719ba/