783A.00/9–1252: Telegram
No. 485
The Minister in Lebanon (Minor) to the Department of State
512. I am in full agreement with Totec tel 511 Sept 12. While our program meets with considerable response on part of people who understand it and officials at technical level, I feel Leb Govt has failed to give us support necessary for success. Administratively, they continue to punish our personnel who have been waiting months for their effects to be cleared from customs. None of us feels that we have the atmosphere necessary for successful operation. Paradoxically, problem is not that Lebs dislike Point Four. It is rather that they are trying to browbeat us into large Point Four aid and especially econ assistance.
Because of my concern with this matter, I took it up yesterday with Pres El-Khoury in a long and cordial conversation. I outlined our concern at this turn of events and said that it is hardly in the interest of Leb Govt to discourage us in our efforts to assist this country. I declared that it was only fair to let him know my views and further that I intended to express these opinions in Washington. I spoke of the disillusionment of TCA personnel with the unfair treatment they are getting from the hundreds of customs authorities.
Pres El-Khoury grasped matter quickly and assured me in warmest terms that this will receive improvement. He added that frankly there has been no govt in Leb for considerable time. He stated that his personal philosophy is that Leb shld help herself and then receive gratefully any aid US is able and willing to give. He said that new govt, possibly headed by Saeb Salaam, wld shortly be [Page 998] sworn in and that one of its primary directives will be to have the closest kind of cooperation with Point Four. He urged me to hold off any definite recommendation until he has chance to prove this cooperation. As to our customs difficulties, he promised to fill in Moubarak today and direct him that these matters be put straight. I asked him, when talking to Moubarak, to say that we strongly admire his courage and honesty and to convince him that a change of attitude is in the interest of his own country. In any event, I said that the situation wld have to be corrected.
Our conversation was unusually cordial. He is most friendly and I know he plans to try to carry out what he promised. However, matter is serious one and we shld carefully consider our position. I do not believe Point Four can possibly succeed working under present handicap. I recommend that we give new Leb Govt every encouragement and opportunity to work closely with us. We shld play down any idea that we can be bribed or browbeaten into large-scale econ aid. On this basis I am hopeful that we can soon go forward confidently.