252. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom1
267. Department approached past week by representatives French, British and Netherlands Embassies seeking US views on quadrilateral meeting sometime during July to discuss treaty covering proposed Middle East pipeline. Dept replied along following lines. Addressees should take similar position if matter raised by governments.
While Department now giving attention development treaty along lines C type its view not sufficiently clarified at this time to put forth in quadrilateral meeting. More importantly however Department believes four-power meeting foreseeable future purpose discussing subject unwise as likely have most unfortunate consequences for project particularly in Arab states.
US particularly desirous present time avoid stirring up Arab sensitivities as multilateral discussion this project likely to do, since this government currently engaged in critical conversations with Saudi Arabia over Gulf Aqaba. Consensus here discussions looking to development satisfactory draft treaty should proceed as quietly as possible. Department prepared exchange views Embassies UK, France and Netherlands on ad hoc basis and several meetings with Embassy representatives already planned.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 880.2553/7–1057. Confidential. Drafted by Shaw and approved by Dillon who signed for Dulles. Also sent to Paris and The Hague and repeated to Ankara, Baghdad, and Tehran.↩