120.280/11–1053: Telegram
No. 726
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom
(Aldrich) to
the Department of State
2052. Department please pass other posts in its discretion. At Foreign Office today Johnston encountered considerably more favorable attitude toward Jordan Valley plan than month ago. In meeting presided by Roger Allen, Assistant Under Secretary, and [Page 1410] attended by Embassy representatives, Johnston outlined results his mission.1
British appeared impressed by his accomplishments which they described as “remarkable”. No decisions reached except that British agreed with Johnston that plan would require further careful study and preparation and undertook do their best support subsequent mission early next year. Only British reservation was fear that laying too much emphasis on necessity of acceptance of plan might “put us in embarrassing position” if opposition of states concerned proved to be insurmountable.
I then took Johnston to see Eden who was most cordial. After Johnston had explained his reception while on the mission, Eden said that he thought that Johnston had done remarkably well to have kept the door open. Johnston explained that he was seeing the press immediately afterwards and at his suggestion Eden wrote out following statement for him to use:
“Mr. E. Johnston had a talk with Mr. Eden who told him HMG were considering his very interesting report, and hoped to have further discussions upon it at an early date.”
- A memorandum summarizing this meeting was sent as enclosure 1 to despatch 1786 from London, Nov. 16, not printed. (120.280/11–1653)↩