Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, The Near and Middle East, Volume IX, Part 1

784A.00/6–1252: Telegram

No. 443
The Chargé in Syria (Clark) to the Department of State¹

confidential

Damascus, June 12, 1952—5 p.m.

768. Sec Gen FonOff told me today Syrian Govt regards Israel proposal transfer capital Tel Aviv violation of UN resolutions and inconsistent with wishes Christian and Moslem nations. He said some states had made reservations about Jerusalem when establishing dipl relations with Israel, but Israel now ignoring these reservations and inviting all states having missions Tel Aviv move them Jerusalem. Syr Govt hopes that US will not aquiesce in Israel Govt request move US Emb to Jerusalem and will let Israel Govt know removal capital to Jerusalem wld have “negative and disturbing effect” on Christian and Moslem world.

Sec Gen emphasized that Syr Govt démarche was concerned with question of moving capital and not directed toward reopening question of enforcing internationalization of Jerusalem at this time.

Clark

1. Repeated to Tel Aviv, Paris, London, Amman, Baghdad, Beirut, Cairo, Jidda, Jerusalem, Ankara, Moscow, and Tripoli.