Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1941, The British Commonwealth; The Near East and Africa, Volume III

740.0011 European War 1939/9402: Telegram

The Minister Resident in Iraq (Knabenshue) to the Secretary of State

Baghdad, March 28, 1941—11 a.m.
[Received 12:15 p.m.]

52. Referring to my telegram No. 51 of March 25. The Minister for Foreign Affairs also said that he had told Eden that the Iraqi Government desires the British to implement the White Paper in respect to Palestine¹⁶ but in view of present world conditions would be satisfied to leave the time of implementation to the discretion of the British.

As regards Syria he told Eden that Iraq would raise no objection to the occupation of Syria by the British¹⁷ if for strategical or other reasons the British should deem such a step necessary—Iraq having faith and confidence that after the war the British would find a satisfactory solution for the Syrian problem on the basis of Syrian independence. In answer to a question in the Chamber of Deputies he expressed Iraq’s sympathy with the Syrians in their present attitude towards the French.

Knabenshue

16. British Cmd. 6019: Palestine, Statement of Policy, May 1939.
17. For correspondence on this subject, see pp. 725 ff.