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

890D.01/5–2545: Telegram

The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State

London, May 25, 1945—6 p.m.
[Received May 25—5:24 p.m.]

5241. In discussing Levant States question with us yesterday Hankey, Acting Head of Eastern Dept spoke favorably of Dept’s suggestion that discussions should take place at Paris rather than Beirut but said that Shone did not feel that he could absent himself from his post at so critical a time in order to participate in discussions and FO⁴⁵ agreed. Hankey indicated however that a FO official might go to Paris if it was decided to hold conversations there.

Regarding possible discussion of military bases during projected conversations Hankey indicated that current FO thinking is opposed to taking up that issue at this time and favors confining discussion to reinforcement question with emphasis on implications bearing on prosecution of Far Eastern War. To take up question of bases at this time, Hankey observed, would almost certainly lead to protracted discussion entailing undesirable delay in clearing up reinforcement matter.

Meantime, said Hankey, a telegram had just been received from Duff Cooper suggesting that French might be receptive to a proposal by which the Troupes Spéciales would be turned over in return for certain assurances in respect of recognizing special French position and granting military bases. Hankey was inclined to doubt the practicability of such an offer and reiterated disinclination of FO to bring the question of military bases to the fore at this time.

This morning Lebanese Chargé d’Affaires called to leave with FO copy of a note delivered by him and Syrian Minister at the FO on May 23 and to express on his own behalf and that of Syrian Minister their great concern as result of reports reaching them from their Govts, the most recent of which had been received this morning and had stated that situation was taking a serious turn which made it difficult to predict consequences unless there is rapid intervention. Chargé expressed view that half measures would only serve to prolong difficulty and appealed for strong Anglo-American move to curb unjustified French designs on Levant States once and for all.

Note to FO conveys text of communication of May 19 from Lebanese Govt to French representative in Beirut, mentions a similar protest made by the Syrian Govt and says that on advice of Eden and Churchill calm had been preserved by Syrians and Lebanese regarding previous Troupes Spéciales difficulty but that situation has again been aggravated by latest French action and Syria and Lebanon therefore look to Brit Govt for support in spirit of Eden’s declaration at San Francisco that “the smaller powers shall be left free to live their lives in full independence.”⁴⁶ Full text of note being transmitted by airmail.⁴⁷

Sent Dept as 5241; rptd Beirut as 11 and Paris as 304.

Winant

45. Foreign Office.
46. This seems to be a paraphrase of remarks made by Mr. Eden on April 26, 1945, at the First Plenary Session of the United Nations Conference on International Organization; for text, see Department of State, The United Nations Conference on International Organization, San Francisco, California, April 25 to June 26, 1945 (Washington, Government Printing Office, 1946), pp. 261, 262.
47. Despatch 23287, May 28, not printed.