377. Telegram From the Delegation at the Foreign Ministers Meetings to the Department of State1
Secto 121. Eyes only Acting Secretary and Chiefs of Mission.Eban, reporting on Sharett meeting with Molotov yesterday,2 said Sharett held no punches in his presentation of Israel’s complaint to Molotov.Eban said Molotov made following points (several of which obviously inconsistent). Egypt, small and defenseless country, had asked Soviet Union for arms and since Egypt could not get them elsewhere obviously duty of USSR to help which it had done without any conditions. Soviet Union had witnessed Turko-Iraq Pact accession to it of Great Britain and talk that US would join.USSR, therefore, obviously had to do something. Shortly thereafter Molotov [Page 692] asserted sale was pure commercial transaction between Czechs and Egypt and Israel, therefore, had no right to complain.
Sharett said Israel desired close and friendly relations with Soviet Union and Molotov replied she could have them any time she wanted (presumably by giving up reliance upon Western Powers for security).Molotov also made point Israel not friendless and alone as Dulles and Macmillan had been working for it with him here at Geneva. At one point Molotov without amplifying suggested maybe there should be conference of some kind to talk over situation.Sharett had impression discussions and press of last few days had possibly made some impact on Molotov as affecting USSR position as advocate of peace.
Representative of press informed US delegate that Israel press correspondent later pressed member of Israel delegation hard on question whether Sharett had specifically asked Molotov for Soviet bloc arms for Israel. Only answer was repeated “No comment”. Israel correspondent then said to American press representative that unless Sharett could say in response to questions in the Knesset that he had asked Soviet Union for arms there would be no new government this week (presumably referring to Mapam).3
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 396.1–GE/11–155. Secret. Received at 10:14 p.m. Repeated to Tel Aviv, Cairo, London, and Moscow.↩
- The memorandum of this conversation is not printed. (Ibid.,NEA Files: Lot 59 D 518, Geneva Conference—10/27/55–11/17/55: (1) Memos of Conversation; (2) Intelligence Briefing Notes)↩
- On November 2,Ben Gurion announced to the Knesset the composition of his new five-party cabinet, which included nine Mapai members, two representatives each from the Mapam, Hapoel Hamizrachi, and Ahdut Avodah parties, and one member from the Progressive Party. The Knesset on November 3 approved Ben Gurion’s cabinet by a vote of 73 to 32, with 3 abstentions.↩