Office of the Historian

446. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, February 5, 19571

Washington, February 5, 1957

SUBJECT

  • Visit of Crown Prince Abdul Ilah of Iraq

II. SYRIAN SITUATION

[Here follows the same list of participants as Document 445.]

[Page 1031]

Referring to the Syrian situation, Dr. Jamali stated Iraq is currently losing $700,000 per day because of the stoppage of oil. Iraq cannot afford this loss. The anti-Iraqi regime in Syria is responsible for the destruction of the pipeline. Friends of Iraq and friends of the West in Syria are either jailed or in exile. Syria is becoming a serious danger spot for Iraq. It is the center of Communist radiation. Senator Suwaidi added that at the recent meeting of the four Baghdad Pact Moslem member states he had noted considerable Turkish annoyance over Syria. If the present situation continued unaltered, he was worried over the possibility of a Turkish-Syrian clash. Such a development would place Iraq in a difficult position. The Syrian Army’s destruction of the oil pipelines was aimed at Iraq as well as at the U.K. and France. There is no sign of improvement in the internal Syrian situation. Iraq hoped that the U.S. might find an early solution to the problem.

The Secretary replied that we are deeply concerned with the trend of developments in Syria and are watchful for any opportunity to reverse this trend. In the meantime, we are doing what we can to get the pipeline reopened. Some hope for this has been held out of late. Mr. Rountree added that the Prime Minister of Syria, in talks with our Ambassador, had seemed much more conciliatory in the last few days. He hoped that other Syrian Cabinet members would react similarly.

The Prince interjected that it is not the Prime Minister or the Cabinet of Syria which has the controlling voice in this matter. It is Col. Sarraj and his leftist-military clique. Mr. Baban observed that Iraq is paying a heavy price for its friendship with the West. Syria and Iraq, which have historically always been together, have drifted apart because of this, with Syria sliding toward Communism.

The Secretary reiterated that we must watch the Syrian situation carefully and seek to do something about it.

  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 787.11/2–557. Secret. Drafted by Eilts.↩