Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, The Conference of Berlin (The Potsdam Conference), 1945, Volume II

740.00119 Potsdam/7–2545

No. 1342
The Deputy Director of the Office of Near Eastern and African Affairs (Allen) to the Assistant Secretary of State (Dunn)¹

[Extracts²]

[Babelsberg,] July 25, 1945.

Memorandum for Mr. Dunn

Subject: Matters relating to the Near Eastern and African Area for inclusion in the Final Protocol

There is outlined below my understanding of the final decisions reached with regard to the five items on the agenda which relate to the Near Eastern and African Area:

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3. Syria and Lebanon. The Soviet Delegation, which placed this item on the agenda, took notice of an explanation by the British Delegation of recent events in Syria and Lebanon and a declaration of a lack of any desire by the British Government to seek advantage or privilege for itself in the area. The Soviet Government withdrew its proposal that the situation in Syria and Lebanon be considered by representatives of the U. S. A., U. K., U. S. S. R. and France. The British Delegation expressed itself as favorable to the retention of a privileged position for France in the area, provided the Syrian and Lebanese Governments were willing to agree to such privileges. The American Delegation gave notice that it favored equality of treatment for all nations in the area and privileges for none.³

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

George V. Allen

1. Annex 2 to the minutes of the Seventh Plenary Meeting, July 23. See ante, p. 306. This proposal was withdrawn by Stalin during the course of that meeting. See ante, p. 308.
2. Printed from a carbon copy on which there is an uncertified typed signature.
3. For the other sections of this memorandum, see documents Nos. 736, 1069, 1332, 1358, and 1374.