867N.01/8–2245
The Chargé in Syria (Porter) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 7.]
Sir: I have the honor to report that scarcely had the Department’s telegram no. 50 of August 18, 5 p.m., 194523 been received than the Acting Director of the Political Bureau of the Syrian Foreign Office [Page 727] telephoned to state that the Syrian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Jamil Mardam Bey, had instructed him to inquire whether the Legation had any precise information as to the statement of President Truman concerning the Palestine problem at a recent press conference. I gathered from Abdul Karim Bey Dindashi that the Ministry’s inquiry was motivated by press reports which indicated only that the President had proposed “granting permission for the largest possible number of Jews to enter Palestine”.
The timely arrival of the Department’s telegraphic instruction enabled me to answer this official Syrian inquiry along the lines indicated therein, which I did in a conversation in the Foreign Office with Abdul Karim Bey on August 20. He said that the details of the President’s statement, when they became generally known, would create a very good impression in Arab circles.
On August 18, however, it was apparent that Prime Minister Faris el-Khouri at least had had an opportunity to examine a correct version of the President’s statement, for on that date in an interview granted to the Damascus daily, Al Kifah, Faris Bey reportedly said:
“The statement made by the President of the United States indicates sagacity and deep wisdom. For he considers that the solution of this question depends on the Arabs in the first place and when he states that the United States will not send soldiers to Palestine he means that both parties will be satisfied.”
Public and journalistic reaction to the generally inaccurate press coverage of President Truman’s statement has not been marked, and the published views of the Prime Minister concerning it have already had a notable effect in calming the fears of those who were perhaps inclined to place too much dependency on what they read in their local newspapers.
Respectfully yours,