Office of the Historian

867N.01/5–2046: Telegram

The British Prime Minister (Attlee) to President Truman 43

top secret
urgent
London, 19 [18] May 1946—6 p.m.
[Received May 18—11 p.m.]

Personal and Top Secret. I am most grateful to you for your telegram of May 17th [16] and much appreciate your readiness to meet our views in regard to timing of the approach to the Arabs and Jews and also in regard to the time limit to be allowed for these consultations. We also have been considering the form which our consultations with Arabs and Jews should take.

On the Jewish side we propose to consult only the Jewish Agency, in view of the special position conferred on it by article 4 of the Mandate as the accredited representative of Jewry in matters relating to the Jewish National Home. On the Arab side Ave shall consult the Arab Higher Committee and the States of Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Lebanon, Trans-Jordan and the Yemen.

[Page 609]

We are proposing that the following communication shall be handed by His Majesty’s Representatives to the governments of the states above mentioned and by the High Commissioner to the Arab Higher Committee and the Jewish Agency on May 20th.

“In a statement made in Parliament on the 13th November, 1945, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs announced the intention of His Majesty’s Government to consult all parties concerned before reaching a decision on any recommendations which might be made to them by the Anglo-American Committee of Enquiry regarding the problems of European Jewry and Palestine. In pursuance of this undertaking, His Majesty’s Government will be glad to be furnished with the views of . . . . . on each of the 10 recommendations put forward by the Committee. They will further be grateful if these views may be communicated to them not later than the 20th June, 1946 ends.”

I am in entire agreement with your suggestions regarding the discussions between our officials and will let you have shortly our idea as to the subjects which should form the basis of these discussions.

I am glad you think that the idea of a conference is one which is worth consideration and hope that procedure above described may eventually make it desirable.

  1. Copy transmitted to the Secretary of State by the White House on May 20.↩