890E.00/319: Telegram
The Diplomatic Agent and Consul General at Beirut (Wadsworth) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 21—6:24 p.m.]
356. When calling on Syrian Foreign Minister yesterday in Damascus he corrected British and French Beirut press story reported in penultimate paragraph my 351 December 17 noon. Newly printed constitution of 155 articles, he said, had been distributed to President and Deputies but not sworn to; this would probably be done next week; meanwhile Government held firmly to its nonrecognition of mandate; conversations on that basis would begin this week with Catroux who would probably return to Algiers after Xmas fortnight’s visit.
Minister then said Syrian and Lebanese Governments were considering issuing declaration to effect that they were determined to continue cooperation with Allied war effort to fullest measure their strength and resources on basis Atlantic Charter principles and consequently [Page 1054] deemed it desirable to declare formally (this probably with parliamentary approval and perhaps retroactively to respective dates of reestablishment of constitutional government) that Syria and Lebanon considered themselves in state of war with Axis Powers. He suggested informally that I inquire regarding my Government’s views on this subject should it care to express any.