326. Memorandum From the Director of the Office of United Nations Political Affairs (Sisco) to the Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs (Cleveland)0
Washington, September 19,
1963.
SUBJECT
- Arab Refugee Talks
This is in reply to your question about how far we have gotten in our current series of discussions of the refugee problem with the Arabs and Israelis.
- 1.
- Talks with Israelis: Our Ambassador has had three full discussions with the Israelis, two presided over by Ben-Gurion, the third by Eshkol. As you will recall, the main purpose of the talks was to sound out the Israelis on their ideas on the terms of a settlement, as promised by them during the negotiations on the Johnson Plan last year. The Israelis have not come up with any new ideas on the problem, but they have shown a willingness to talk and at least a readiness to look for a solution. They have laid down what they consider the elements of a solution and stated that they believe these principles, if accepted by the Arabs, might make the basis for some progress. These principles are not new. They include: (a) Lots of resettlement of the refugees; (b) some repatriation; (c) simultaneous resettlement and repatriation; (d) an end to agitation of the refugee issue once an agreement for a solution has been reached. The Israelis also indicated they would not insist upon an agreement with the Arabs if the US could arrange satisfactory US-Arab and US-Israeli agreements. In the course of the discussions on the number of refugees Israel would be willing to take back, Eshkol talked of a ratio of 10 to 1 (but on the basis of 500,000 to 600,000 refugees). The Israelis would not set a definite figure of the number they would take back.
- 2.
- Results with Israelis Summarized: The Israelis have not offered anything new, but they have somewhat clarified their position.
- 3.
- Talks with Arabs: There have been three talks with the Lebanese; one with the Syrians; two with the Jordanians; one with the Egyptians. Except in the case of the Egyptians, our Ambassadors or charges have talked at least once with the heads of state or heads of government. There has been no discussion with Nasser, mostly because we were too involved in other more pressing questions of US-UAR relations. In general, the talks were friendly and the Arabs were quite willing to listen [Page 705] carefully to our presentation of the problem, but they had few new ideas to suggest.
- 4.
- Results with the Arabs Summarized: Lebanon agreed with our analysis of the nature of the problem; emphasized its concern with the confessional problem which the refugees make for the Lebanese. The foreign minister suggested it might be possible through a UN resolution to force some action towards a solution. The Syrian Prime Minister was willing to discuss the matter, but cautioned he was not optimistic the US and Syria could reach any agreement. King Hussein said he had no proposals, but would not interfere if some other Arab leader took the lead in trying to reach a solution; he thought only time and economic development of the Near East can solve the problem. The Egyptian foreign office official with whom our Embassy took up the question listened carefully but offered nothing.
- 5.
- UNP Estimate of Where We Stand: The talks have been of some value in that we have clarified our ideas regarding the terms on which the Israelis may be willing to settle. With perhaps some additional clarification, we may be able after the end of the GA to sound out the Arabs subtly on their reaction to some of these suggestions for a settlement. Thus we may be able to discover some areas in which the two parties might eventually move closer to agreement.
- Source: Department of State, IO/UNP Files: Lot 72 D 294, PCC—Johnson Mission. Confidential. Drafted by Campbell on September 18.↩