Office of the Historian

357. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Jordan1

Washington, August 14, 1957—6 p.m.

319. Respective missions should immediately approach King Jordan, PriMin Iraq, President Lebanon and Saudi King concerning Syrian statement alleging American plot against Syrian Government. Using background being cabled separately2 you should make following points orally:

a)
We desire discuss frankly with our friends significance of Syrian actions as we see it.
b)
We believe Government being approached must be distressed as we are at Syrian adoption of Communist technique of false accusations re plots against Government and of totally unfounded requests for recall diplomatic personnel. One purpose this technique is to frighten people of country adopting it into supporting unpopular regime. This development extremely disturbing in that it, coming close upon discussions between Syrians and Russians in Moscow, apparently reveals increasingly close relations between USSR and GOS with attendant dangerous implications for security of NE and for Arab unity.
c)
Falseness of Syrian statements obvious to everyone. Of course statement that US would agree to Syrian intervention in Lebanon and that it would consider similar Syrian action regarding Iraq and Jordan is manifestly absurd.
d)
US earnestly desires reestablishment of traditionally friendly relations with Syria. US has endured without reaction months of vilification and abuse at hands GOS. However, in face hostile and totally unwarranted action against US now taken by clique of officials in control GOS, USG had no alternative but to defend its interests by declaring Syrian Ambassador to US and Second Secretary Syrian Embassy persona non grata.3 We very much regret that GOS has seen fit take steps which brought about present situation. GOS must have known USG could not permit Syrian action to pass unnoticed.
e)
Syrian action is merely latest and most convincing evidence of willingness GOS promote instability in NE by endeavoring sow suspicion and distrust throughout area, thereby advancing Soviet interests. Obvious falsehoods in statement seeking implicate Lebanon and Jordan particularly reveal this purpose.
f)
We have wanted to speak frankly to our friends about the Syrian action because of its implications for security of ME and because of the unfounded charges. We would welcome any observations our friends may care to offer.

Herter
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.83/8–1457. Confidential; Priority. Drafted by Rockwell and approved by Rountree who signed for Herter. Also sent to Baghdad, Beirut, and Jidda, and repeated to Cairo, Damascus, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv.↩
  2. Reference is presumably to circular telegram 138 sent as a joint State-USIS message on August 14. (Ibid., 783.00/8–1457)↩
  3. At Rountree’s request, Syrian Chargé Mamun Hamui met with Rountree at 4 p.m. on August 14. During this meeting, Rountree delivered a strong oral protest against Syrian actions over the past few days and then handed Hamui the note while explaining orally that the U.S. Government was declaring Ambassador Zeineddine and Second Secretary Zakaria persona non grata and desired that Zeineddine not return to the United States and that Zakaria not remain in the United States later than August 16. The memorandum of conversation, by Waggoner, is Ibid., 611.83/8–1457. A copy of a briefing paper, prepared by Waggoner and forwarded to Rountree by Rockwell on August 14, is Ibid., NEA/NE Files: Lot 61 D 59, U.S.-Syrian Relations.↩