Office of the Historian

890E.01/5–1645: Telegram

The Minister to Syria and Lebanon (Wadsworth) to the Secretary of State

Beirut, May 16, 1945—4 p.m.
[Received May 17—9:54 a.m.]

133. Lebanese MinForAff informed me last night that following his meeting with Beynet he had again reviewed situation with Syrian MinForAff (who is to receive Beynet7 today in Damascus) and established full community of view and policy. He then outlined for me highlights of his talk with Beynet substantially as reported in fifth paragraph 130, May 148 but with three interesting additions namely:

1.
Beynet, while volunteering to telegraph Lebanese Government’s views regarding despatch of further French troops, gave no indication that such troops were actually en route;
2.
When Pharaon referred to report and rumor of last fortnite that second cruiser was to visit Beirut, Beynet commented that this question was subject of exchange of views between Churchill and de Gaulle personally;
3.
Beynet agreed to request instructions with respect to suggestion of Lebanese and Syrian Governments that accord be concluded [to] provide for progressive withdrawal of all Allied troops.

Sent to Department as 133, repeated to Paris as 32, paraphrases to Arab capitals.

Wadsworth
  1. General Beynet returned to Beirut May 12.↩
  2. Not printed; this paragraph reads: “According to Shone, Pharaon told Beynet today that, despite incidents of last few days, Lebanese and Syrian Governments wish to negotiate settlement of outstanding questions provided French proposals in nowise infringe their country’s [sic] sovereignty, but that negotiations could not be continued if more French troops be brought except as replacements; Beynet had replied that he would telegraph de Gaulle report of their conversation and that he himself felt moment was not propitious for arrival of more troops.” (890E.01/5–1445)↩