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

867N.01/1980

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Assistant Chief of the Division of Near Eastern Affairs (Merriam)

[Washington,] August 25, 1943.

Participants:	Mr. Ali Jawdat, Minister of Iraq
	Mr. A. M. Gailani, Secretary of the Iraqi Legation
	Mr. Murray
	Mr. Merriam, NE

The Iraqi Minister handed to Mr. Murray a strong and rather lengthy statement⁸⁹ which the Minister said he was considering issuing to the press to counteract recent resolutions in regard to Palestine which had been adopted by the Legislatures of eight States. The resolutions advocate, in effect, unlimited immigration of Jewish refugees into Palestine. Mr. Jawdat, who was considerably concerned over these resolutions, said that before taking this step, he desired to talk it over with Mr. Murray.

Mr. Murray made it clear that he could give no official advice in such a matter, which was entirely for decision by the Minister and his Government. Quite informally, however, Mr. Murray suggested that the issuance of such a statement by the Minister would involve him in acrimonious controversy which would be highly undesirable from every point of view. It was also suggested that the Minister might give further thought to the significance of the resolutions, considering that only eight of the forty-eight States had taken action on the present phase of the Palestine question, and that, under the Constitution, the State Legislatures hare no authority as regards foreign affairs.

Mr. Murray said that, of course, the Minister had the privilege of addressing the Secretary of State on matters of interest to his Government. Consequently, if his Government felt that any useful purpose would be served in so doing, the Minister was at liberty to ask the Secretary to communicate the observations of the Iraqi Government to the respective Governors of the States concerned, and doubtless the Secretary would give the matter careful attention.

Mr. Murray pointed out to the Minister, however, that such action on his part would very likely give rise in certain quarters to the charge that the Iraqi Government was interfering in American internal affairs. Such a charge would probably be made even though the Arabic press in Palestine had already pointed out that, to begin with, American State Legislatures had no business voting resolutions concerning foreign affairs.

In conclusion, Mr. Murray stated that the question the Minister had raised was a very difficult one and that although certain considerations in regard to it had been set forth most informally, it was a matter which the Minister and his Government would have to decide.

As the only Arab diplomatic representative in Washington, the Iraqi Minister obviously felt strongly that the resolutions in question should not be allowed to go unanswered, but was somewhat baffled as to how to proceed.

89. Not found in Department files.