Office of the Historian

890D.01/609: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Consul at Beirut (Gwynn)

Washington, July 21, 1942—11 p.m.

111. Your 227, June 25, 10 a.m. You should call personally by appointment on the Foreign Ministers of Syria and Lebanon and leave with each an “informal aide-mémoire” substantially as follows:

“The Department of State in Washington received in due course with satisfaction the formal, official assurances given Mr. Engert on October 22, 194115 and February 6, 194216 (January 16, 194217) by the competent Minister of the Syrian (Lebanese) Government that that Government willingly recognized and would fully respect all treaty rights of the United States and its nationals in Syria (Lebanon) pending negotiation of fresh treaty relations and definite abolition of the Mandate.

Consequently, the Department of State has been seriously concerned to learn that in certain matters with respect to which representations have been recently made to the competent Syrian (Lebanese) authorities by its representatives at Beirut—matters to which the applicability of such treaty rights appears both clear and buttressed by precedent of many years standing—the Government of Syria (Lebanon) seems inclined to adduce from a new study of the pertinent accords and relevant documentation a new interpretation thereof, which would, in fact, result in a treatment of American individuals and institutions in Syria (Lebanon) clearly prejudicial to their interests and in violation of the rights or privileges which they have heretofore enjoyed.

For some weeks past, the Department of State has had under careful and sympathetic consideration the question of the action which, in the light of the present situation in Syria (Lebanon) and of its juridical position, might properly be taken by the United States Government, in the exercise of such pertinent executive power as is accorded by the American Constitution, effectively to supplement and implement its Statement of November 29, 1941, with a view to meeting the desire of the Government of Syria (Lebanon), as expressed to Mr. Engert on [Page 652] February 6, 1942, (January 16, 1942) that the United States extend recognition to Syria (Lebanon).

Manifestly, such consideration has been premised in important measure on the assurances in question as well as on those of a similarly unequivocal nature received from the Free French authorities.

Consequently and to its sincere regret, the Department of State must defer final determination of this larger question, at least pending the receipt of satisfactory clarification of and assurances regarding the Syrian (Lebanese) Government’s attitude relative not only to the matters to which reference has been made above but also to any other matters similarly falling within the framework of the American treaty rights in question.”

Should you deem advisable any substantial modification of or addition to the foregoing, telegraph your recommendations. If not you should proceed as directed and report developments currently by telegraph.

Answering your penultimate paragraph: Having in mind the limited scope of the proposed Statement quoted in the Department’s 78 of June 2, 9 p.m., and the consideration that a diplomatic agent is traditionally appointed to a state limited in the exercise of its sovereignty (e. g. Egypt 1876–1922, Bulgaria 1901–10 and Morocco 1917 to date) and if appointed to Beirut would be authorized to deal on a de facto basis with the Syrian and Lebanese authorities, the Free French Delegation and the British Military, the Department would welcome your further comment by telegraph.

You will realize from the foregoing that the assumption made at the end of paragraph 3 of Engert’s telegram no. 205 of June 6, 11 a.m., is not in conformity with the Department’s intentions, for we have contemplated from the beginning that only general post-war settlement would afford appropriate occasion for recognition of full sovereignty of the Levant States.

It is thought that no more detailed exposition of the Department’s position, or contemplated policy, need be given you in this connection or in reply to your helpful telegram no. 246 of July 13, 9 a.m.20 You should adapt your actions to the foregoing outline of such policy, notably by continuing to deal informally on a de facto basis with the British, Free French, Lebanese and Syrian authorities.

You may in your discretion discuss the substance of this telegram confidentially with the appropriate British and Free French authorities.

Hull
  1. See telegram No. 426, October 24, 1941, 9 a.m., from the Consul General at Beirut, Foreign Relations, 1941, vol. iii, p. 793.↩
  2. See telegram No. 35, February 6, 9 p.m., from the Consul General at Beirut, p. 643.↩
  3. See telegram No. 11, January 16, 3 p.m., from the Consul General at Beirut, p. 641.↩
  4. Ante, p. 598.↩