On 16 February Faisal met Lawrence and Allawi quotes Lawrence as saying "I explained to him that I had just accepted an appointment in the Middle Eastern Department of the Colonial Office...I then spoke of what might happen in the near future, mentioning a possible conference in Egypt...in which the politics, constitution and finances of the Arabic areas of Western Asia would come in discussion...These were all of direct interest to his race, and especially to his family, and I thought present signs justified his being reasonably hopeful of a settlement satisfactory to all parties."[83] Karsh gives a similar report and while reporting on the Marsh letter, does not connect it to this meeting.[84] (This meeting is determined by Friedman to be the meeting subject of the undated letter from Lawrence to Marsh [85]).