683.84A322/11–2053
No. 737
Memorandum of Conversation, by the
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern, South Asian,
and African Affairs (Jernegan)
Subject:
- Syrian Attitude Toward Palestine Question
Participants:
- Dr. Farid Zeineddine, Ambassador of Syria
- NEA—Mr. Jernegan
- NE-Mr. Hart
- NEA—Mr. Gardiner
The Ambassador called at his request to discuss the Banat Yacov dispute. Most of the substance of the conversation was reported in the Department’s telegram No. 249 of November 20, 1953 to the USUN, repeated to the Arab Capitals and Tel Aviv.1 The following additional points were made:
- 1.
- Ambassador Zeineddine said that Syria was anxious to achieve a modus vivendi with Israel so that it could devote its attention to other matters. Syria was, he said, “fed up” with the frontier quarrels. The Syrian Government was the only Arab regime which would dare to attempt an arrangement with Israel, because it was the only one fully trusted by its own people. The Jordanian Government, [Page 1435] for example, could not possibly make such a move in the face of the attitude of the Jordanian people.
- 2.
- The Ambassador considered the Banat Yacov question far more important than the Qibya affair, despite the emotions which the latter had aroused. In response to my question, he said he was not sure whether Jordan Minister Haikal would agree on this but he believed his other Arab colleagues felt as he did.
- 3.
- Syria admitted that its interest in the Jordan River was less important than the interest of Jordan. From the Arab point of view, he would rate her relative interests as follows: (a) those of the Arab Refugees, who were after all Palestinians and entitled to benefit from the River which ran through their own country; (b) the interest of Jordan as the State which could best utilize the greater proportion of the waters of the River, and (c) the interests of Syria. He passed lightly over the interests of Israel by implying that it might be entitled to a relatively minor share in the water. As evidence of Syria’s willingness to give precedence to the claims of Jordan, he cited the Syria-Jordan Agreement on the Yarmuk, asserting that Syria might have claimed half of the waters of that River for its own use but was willing to let them be applied to the greater need of the refugees and the Jordanians.
- 4.
- In connection with the possibility of reaching an agreed settlement of the water controversy, following termination of the present Security Council discussions, the Ambassador suggested that there were various procedures which might be employed, among them: (a) United States “mediation” or “good offices”, (b) use of the Palestine Conciliation Commission, and (c) use of the Truce Supervision Organization as an intermediary.
In reply to a question by Mr. Gardiner, the Ambassador remarked that he was looking forward to meeting with Mr. Eric Johnston and Mr. Gardiner in New York on Monday.2 He intended to be present even if other Arab representatives should decide to stay away.