890E.01/5–2445: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Minister to Syria and Lebanon (Wadsworth)
156. Reurtel 152, May 24. In line with our past advocacy of Levant States’ entering into treaty relations with France we would welcome any treaty proposals which the Lebanese Govt might be disposed to make. For your confidential information we are contemplating making an appeal in a friendly spirit to the French Govt62 to alter its basic policy towards the Levant States and therefore are particularly anxious just now that you do not become involved in the dispute in such a manner as to give the French the impression that you are assisting Lebanese efforts to find means of embarrassing them. It would be preferable therefore for you to avoid participating personally in drafting of proposed treaties, although there would be no objection to your making suggestions in regard to what in your opinion might be this Govt’s attitude toward any of the provisions which Lebanese officials may propose making in the draft of an American-Lebanese treaty.
- This refers, presumably, to the note delivered by Ambassador Caffery on May 28; telegram 156 was drafted on May 26.↩