741.90D/2
The British Embassy to the Department of State
Syria
We are trying to exercise the maximum economic pressure on Syria. This does not mean that we desire or expect an immediate uprising. A weak Syria is, however, a safeguard against any possibility of hostile French action of some kind against us. This seems to us essential in view of the strategical importance of Syria and of the unreliability of the Vichy Government. This seems to His Majesty’s Government to involve less danger than any other course, and does not amount to their working for the collapse of Syria.
In order to give the local French authorities some tangible advantage from the continued presence at Beirut of the British Consul General, His Majesty’s Government propose to allow Syrian exports in rare and isolated instances where the Consul General is able to certify that there is no question of metropolitan French origin or interest.
Should the United States Government be very anxious to continue any particular Syrian exports or imports, His Majesty’s Government would be ready to give sympathetic consideration to particular applications. They hope, however, that this will not be the case as they wish to relax their pressure as little as possible.