Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1945, The Near East and Africa, Volume VIII

890D.01/5–2145

The British Embassy to the Department of State

Aide-Mémoire

The latest telegrams from His Majesty’s Minister at Beirut show that the situation in the Levant is rapidly deteriorating and may lead to violence at any time. It will not be possible for Mr. Shone and his United States colleague to restrain the local Governments much longer unless they can point to some initiative which offers a prospect of escape from the present impasse.

2. His Majesty’s Government are considering whether there would still be advantage in inviting General de Gaulle to London for consultation about the Levant. Meanwhile it is important that proposals should be presented, the acceptance of which would lead at least to a modus vivendi in the Levant States on the question of military forces there and which would have the effect of dispelling the present fear of the Levant Governments that French reinforcements will continue without any limit with the object of exerting pressure during their negotiations with the French.

3. In view of His Majesty’s Government any such proposals would best be based on the military necessity of ensuring the security of the Allied base in the Middle East and Allied lines of communication to the Far East during the Japanese war. The proposals could also be linked to the recent request of the Syrian and Lebanese Governments that the entry and passage of United Nations Forces into and through the Levant should be effected by agreement with the local Governments.

4. His Majesty’s Government therefore would be grateful to learn, as a matter of the greatest urgency, whether the United States Government would be prepared

(a) to join them in an approach to the French and Levant States Governments urging that the whole question of United Nations Forces in the Levant States during the Far Eastern war should be the subject of immediate talks between the Governments of the United States, the United Kingdom, France and the Levant States. It is suggested that such discussions might be held in Beirut;

(b) to instruct the United States Minister in Beirut to join with His Majesty’s Minister in urging the Levant States Government, pending the discussions suggested in (a) above, to avoid any final breach in negotiations with the French and to refrain most carefully from any action which could precipitate disorder;

(c) to instruct the United States Ambassador in Paris to join with His Majesty’s Ambassador in urging the French Government to desist from further reinforcements pending these discussions.

5. Any modus vivendi would of course be without prejudice to any final settlement between the Levant States and the French Government or to any decision of the World Organisation should the question ultimately have to be submitted to it. It would equally be made clear that His Majesty’s Government stand by their offer to withdraw all British forces from Levant as soon as a treaty is in operation between the French and the Levant States Governments.

6. In the view of His Majesty’s Government, to be effective, any action taken on the above lines must be taken immediately.

Washington , May 21, 1915.