March 19th 1952.

Ever since the Mediterranean Treaty Organization was founded in late 1950, Long and arduous discussions have been hosted over the possibility of including the Kingdom of Egypt into the alliance. Such a crucial state and member of Mediterranean culture as well as its international credibility makes its inclusion an important step in propelling the MTO towards a truly Mediterranean organization as well as improving the credibility of its partners in the Middle East and North Africa.

Nevertheless, certain roadblocks were hit during negotiations. Mainly targeting the existence of Spain and Portugal as members of the MTO. Given that they are currently colonial powers with overseas territories around the world, the inclusion of an openly anti-colonialist state into the Alliance may set the precedent for unrest in the colonies. Spain and Portugal would outright reject the membership of Egypt into the alliance, with Greece and Turkey supporting Egypt's membership for varying reasons.

Italy, for its part, played its role as the "Great Neutral" in this exchange. Wisely chosen as the MTO's leader and political center, the shrewd negotiator Carlo Sforza, himself an experienced interlocutor and political eminence was successful in establishing a compromise solution targeting the Spanish and Portuguese delegations where in exchange for a unanimous vote for the entry of Egypt, Egypt would have to agree to the following stipulations as delineated in the Baleares Memorandum

• Egypt will abstain from acting in affairs involving Southern and West Africa described as hostile or against the interests of a fellow MTO member.
• >! In regards to the Moroccan Question, Egypt will moderate its tone in regard to extraneous Moroccan territorial claims and will not support Morocco in the reclamation of the "Plazas de Soberania" the overseas possessions controlled by Spain at the time of its founding, which are ostensibly recognized as Spanish core territory. !<

Delivered to the Egyptian government, the Memorandum was approved by the Egyptian Prime Minister and government cabinet but requested for the details to remain confidential.

For its part, the Italian state pledged to enforce the Baleares Memorandum by placing stakes on the defense of the Portuguese overseas possessions and placing a rapid deployment force in Southern Spain as well as economic guarantees to both nations.

With the ratification of the Baleares Memorandum, The MTO Supreme Council has approved unanimously the membership of Egypt into the brotherhood of the Mediterranean nations in a major diplomatic victory for Italy and Sforza.