Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1943, The Near East and Africa, Volume IV

867N.01/1877

The Secretary of State to Lieutenant Colonel Harold B. Hoskins

Washington, July 7, 1943.

My Dear Colonel Hoskins: At the direction of the President, you are to proceed at once to Saudi Arabia in order to make an inquiry of King Ibn Saud, on behalf of the President, regarding the King’s attitude with respect to a matter regarding Palestine.

In your conversation with the King, you should confine yourself exclusively, after making appropriate preliminary remarks, to obtaining the King’s reply to the following specific question: Will King Ibn Saud enter into discussions with Dr. Chaim Weizmann or other representatives selected by the Jewish Agency for the purpose of seeking a solution of basic problems affecting Palestine acceptable to both Arabs and Jews?

I am confident that you will exercise good judgment and discretion in carrying out this important mission on behalf of the President.

Sincerely yours,

Cordell Hull