501.BB Palestine/3–948: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Legation in Syria
58. Attitude of Syrian officials reported in your 135, March 9,1 is of serious concern to this Govt as a steadfast supporter of UN. Presidential Secretary’s complacent remark that to remove Arab threat of force might damage an increasing favorable situation reveals utter lack of comprehension of solemn undertakings entered into by Syrian Govt when it signed Charter of UN and ratified that instrument.
Your telegrams and other info reaching Dept lead to unmistakable inference that Syrian Govt could easily be charged with complicity in threatening international peace and security with regard to Palestine. In light of Ambassador Austin’s statement of Feb 24 Syrian Govt should have no illusion as to where this Govt will stand in SC or elsewhere with respect to threats to international peace and security.
Please call on President Quwatly and state that while démarche suggested in Deptel 49, March 6,2 is evidence of friendly regard which this Govt has for Arab world, Syrian Govt should by no means underestimate sincerity and fixity of purpose of the US to support measures by SC under UN Charter to maintain international peace and security. This purpose should seem of particular significance to Syrian Govt, which relied upon our support in 1946 in SC in securing withdrawal of French and British troops from Syrian territory.3
[Page 707]It should be obvious to anyone that such arrangements as those reported in your 136, March 9,4 will merely serve to underscore evidence of Syria’s participation in threatening the integrity of Palestine and that Defense Minister in providing facilities for this press junket to Qawukji’s headquarters is merely preparing grave difficulties for his own govt.
Please repeat your reference tels to Arab capitals to which this telegram is sent for info.5
- Not printed.↩
- This is a repeat of telegram 164 to Jerusalem, p. 686.↩
- For documentation on the policy of the United States concerning this subject, see Foreign Relations, 1946, vol. vii, pp. 751 ff.↩
- Not printed; it reported that Syrian Defense Minister Sharabati had informed various American reporters of the arrangements made for them to visit Fawzi Kawukji’s headquarters on March 11 (501.BB Palestine/3–948). Kawukji was commander of the irregular Arab bands operating in northern Palestine.↩
- This telegram was repeated to Cairo, Jidda, Beirut, Jerusalem, and Baghdad.↩