890D.01/6–545

The British Embassy to the Department of State

Aide-Mémoire

Ref: 256/—/45

His Majesty’s Government have been considering conditions in which Levant States representatives should be associated with the proposed discussions in London. There is likely to be much misgiving in the Middle East re the possibility that in the absence of such representatives some agreement might be reached with the French behind the backs of the Arabs, and that the Arab case would thereby be prejudiced.

2.
Two possible methods occur to His Majesty’s Government of associating Levant States representatives:
(a)
the conference could formally include representatives of the Levant States as well as British, American and French representatives, and it might be understood that after a formal meeting of all five parties most of the conversations would be held without the Levant States and French representatives actually meeting. His Majesty’s Government do not think that after recent events acrimonious discussion between these delegates in front of British and American representatives would advance matters at all, and that it would be better to avoid such a situation arising.
(b)
Alternatively, there might in effect be two conferences or two sets of discussions going on in London simultaneously on parallel lines. The British and American representatives would meet the French on a tripartite basis on the one hand, and on the other they would have four party discussions with the Syrian and Lebanese representatives.
3.
His Majesty’s Government have an open mind as between these two alternatives. They would be most grateful to learn the views of the State Department. They would also be glad to learn the views of the State Department on the note from the Soviet Government.17
  1. Note from the Soviet Chargé, June 1, p. 1128.