890D.01/2–145
The Department of State to the British Embassy
Memorandum
The Department of State is in essential agreement with the views expressed in the British Embassy’s Aide-Mémoire of February 1, 1945, regarding the situation in the Levant States, which is a source of continuing concern to the United States Government.
The American Minister at Beirut and Damascus has accordingly been instructed to make representations to the Lebanese and Syrian Governments similar to those being made by his British colleague with a view to persuading them to alter their present attitude of refusing to enter into negotiations of any kind with the French. The American Ambassador at Paris is being instructed at the same time to urge the French Government to adopt an attitude of moderation and to take steps to meet the reasonable desires of the Syrian and Lebanese Governments as regards the transfer of the Troupes Spéciales, the equipment of the gendarmeries, and the establishment of normal diplomatic representation at Beirut and Damascus.
Paraphrases of these instructions42 are attached for the information of the British Government.