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

890D.01/8–945: Telegram

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

Washington , August 9, 1945—noon.

227. We have been informally discussing with Brit Emb their suggestion⁵⁶ of possible desirability establishing commission of disinterested powers, probably excluding Big Three, to report on Franco-Levant problem, perhaps recommending solution to ForMins Council or to UNO.⁵⁷

Our initial reaction that such proposal might delay rather than expedite solution unless direct negotiations being tried by Ostrorog reach impasse. Please give us your estimate prospects for continued progress and satisfactory solution by direct negotiations and comment on suggested commission, which should be mentioned only your Brit colleague.⁵⁸

Byrnes

56. Aide-mémoire of August 7, not printed.
57. United Nations Organization.
58. In telegram 258, August 16, 1945, 6 p.m., the Minister to Syria and Lebanon stated: “I cannot see that useful purpose would be served by neutral suggested commission … time for such fact finding is now long past … to investigate such issues now, even were useful facts to be established, would be to reopen old wounds and render more difficult any effort by Council of Big Five Foreign Ministers to find basis for Franco-Levant settlement.” He also said that “Ostrorog’s ‘direct negotiations’ have not even touched on basic issues”. (890D.01/8–1645) On September 21, the Director of the Office of Near Eastern and African Affairs transmitted to the Acting Secretary of State (Acheson) and the Director of the Office of European Affairs (Matthews) a draft reply to the aide-mémoire of August 7 which stated: “We have no objection to the British suggestion in principle, but think it impractical. We suggest that if the British-French conversations do not make satisfactory progress, the question could be referred to the Council of Foreign Ministers in London for settlement in consultation with representatives of Syria and Lebanon.” (890D.01/9–2145) In a memorandum of October 8 for the files, Adrian B. Colquitt stated: “In view of the fact that this matter has developed along another line and is being pursued on another basis, it is not thought that a written reply to the British memorandum is necessary. The attached draft reply is therefore not being sent.” (890D.01/10–845) The draft reply is not found in Department files.