890D.01/9–545
The Department of State to the British Embassy
Memorandum
The Department of State has carefully noted the contents of the British Embassy’s aide-mémoire of September 5 and memorandum of September 24, 1945, regarding the Franco-Levant States problem.
The Department appreciates the information contained in the former with regard to the preliminary exchange of views which took place between Mr. Bevin and the French Ambassador in London on August 16 and has noted the former’s desire to learn its view on this matter. It has also learned with regret from Mr. Shone’s telegram from Beirut, dated October 22,78 that the further talks which took place in London failed to result in any agreement between British and French authorities.
The Department agrees with Mr. Bevin that there is little prospect for a settlement on the basis of M. Bidault’s suggestion that French troops remain in Syria and Lebanon after the withdrawal of British troops, and that it is most improbable that Syrian or Lebanese consent could, under present circumstances, be obtained for the continued presence there of French forces.
While the Department believes that French interests and French institutions in Syria and Lebanon should receive all reasonable protection on a nondiscriminatory basis, it could not for its part give any encouragement to M. Bidault’s personal proposals since they are based on the assumption that France enjoys a special position in the Levant States. In particular, it is the general American view that American advisers and technicians have the right to be employed by any independent government which requests their services, and it is noted with appreciation that Mr. Bevin took this view into account.
The Department would at the same time welcome and would deem it appropriate that both the Syrian and Lebanese Governments give assurances that they will continue to give full and adequate protection to foreign and minority interests following the withdrawal of French and British forces. They should in particular make it clear that they [Page 1174] will maintain a sound and dependable judicial system. It is believed that these assurances would have more value if they were given freely and not in response to intimations that unless obtained the troops would not be withdrawn.
As to the manner in which such assurances might possibly be obtained, it is noted in the telegram from Mr. Shone, referred to above, that he expects that the Syrian and Lebanese Governments will shortly address to the French and British Governments formal requests, although probably in different terms, for the withdrawal of French and British troops. It may be that Mr. Bevin would deem it appropriate that Mr. Shone suggest to the two Levant Governments that in the notes addressed to him such assurances might well be included.
The Department regrets that it is not in a position to comment at this time regarding the action to be taken in the event that it should, unhappily, be found necessary, after the withdrawal of French and British troops and before the functioning of the World Organization, to determine the necessity of sending a military force back into Syria and Lebanon for the protection of Christian minorities. It would wish to examine the situation in the light of the conditions existing at that time.
The Department does not, however, possess information which would cause it to be particularly apprehensive that upon the withdrawal of French and British troops the Christian minorities might become the object of murderous attack. It is of course probable that from time to time there may be minor incidents in the future as there have been in the past resulting from fanaticism on the part of various individuals or from provocative acts. There is also the possibility of more general mistreatment of Christians if any considerable number of them should engage in activities which might be considered as threatening the integrity of the state.
The Department is glad to state, in conclusion, that it is in general agreement with most of Mr. Bevin’s other tentative suggestions.
- Not printed; copy sent to the Director of the Office of Near Eastern and African Affairs by the Counselor of the British Embassy (Wright) on October 23, 1945.↩