Office of the Historian

272. Telegram From the Embassy in Syria to the Department of State1

Damascus,September 14, 1955—1 p.m.

240. From Johnston.2 In hour’s conversation with President Quwwatli today I had opportunity explain Jordan Valley Program and seek his estimate of when Foreign Ministers’ meeting might be held. He showed sympathetic interest and indicated new government3 would consider as early order of business. He mentioned need Syria act in concert Arab States in view international character program. In course discussion of Lebanese situation4 and developments information new government here, he concurred that meeting Foreign Ministers at Cairo might be possible about September 24.

Moose
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 120.1480/9–1455. Confidential. Received at 8:48 a.m. Repeated to Cairo, Amman, Beirut, Tel Aviv, London, Baghdad, and Paris.↩
  2. Johnston arrived in Damascus on September 13.↩
  3. Said al-Ghazzi formed a new government on September 13.↩
  4. On September 13, Lebanese Prime Minister Sami Solh resigned after four members of his Cabinet submitted resignations in the course of a parliamentary attack on the Prime Minister. President Chamoun asked Rashid Karame, Minister of Economy in the outgoing government, to form a new Cabinet.↩