867N.01/5–1046

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Director of the Office of Near Eastern and African Affairs (Henderson)

Participants: Mr. Mahmoud Hassan, Minister of Egypt
Mr. Ali Jawdat, Minister of Iraq
Dr. Charles Malik, Minister of Lebanon
Sheikh Asad Al-Faqih, Minister of Saudi Arabia
Dr. Costi K. Zurayk, Chargé d’Affaires of Syria
Mr. Dean Acheson, Acting Secretary of State
Mr. Loy W. Henderson, Director of Near Eastern and African Affairs

At their request the diplomatic representatives of the five Arab countries in Washington were received by the Acting Secretary of State at 12:30 o’clock today.

The Egyptian Minister acted as spokesman for the group, which included the Minister of Iraq, the Minister of Lebanon, the Minister Saudi Arabia and the Chargé d’Affaires of Syria.

The Egyptian Minister stated that the representatives of the five Arab states acting under instructions of their Governments had called in order to present to the American Government notes38 setting forth the views of the Arab countries with regard to the report of the Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry on Palestine. The Minister continued substantially as follows:

It had been the understanding of himself and of the other Arab representatives in Washington—and this understanding had been conveyed to their respective Governments—that the American Government had taken the position that the Anglo-American Committee was an advisory body and that neither the British nor the American Governments necessarily be bound by its findings. Furthermore, he and the other representatives in Washington of the various Arab Governments had been assured that before any steps would be taken which would result in a change in the basic situation in Palestine, [Page 605] Arabs and Jews would be consulted. In the opinion of the Arab world, the introduction of 100,000 Jews into Palestine would bring about a basic change of the situation in that country. He was sure that this opinion must be shared by everyone acquainted with the situation in Palestine. He wished to point out that President Roosevelt on various occasions had assured the heads of Arab States that the Arabs would be consulted before any change would be made in the basic situation in Palestine. The President had also given assurances that he would take no action hostile to the Arabs. These assurances had made a deep impression upon the Arab world which had confidence in the word of the President and of the Government of the United States.

The report of the Anglo-American Committee had made a painful impression upon the Arab world. The Arabs were not satisfied with the suggestions contained in it and they hoped that the British and American Governments would consult with them before taking action based upon it. In view of the violent reaction which the report had caused in the Arab countries, he would like to suggest that the American Government at least before the 18th of May, the date of the next meeting of the Arab League, issue an announcement to the effect that it does not consider itself necessarily bound by the recommendations contained in the report of the Anglo-American Committee and that in any event it would live up to its assurances to consult with Arabs and Jews before adopting a policy calling for action which would alter the basic situation in Palestine.

The Acting Secretary thanked the Ministers for the notes which they were giving him and stated that he appreciated the frankness with which they had expressed the views of their Governments. He could assure them that the Government of the United States had every intention of living up to the assurances which it had given and of consulting Arabs and Jews before making a definite decision with regard to the report on the basic situation in Palestine.39 He added that the views of the Arab Governments set forth in the notes which had been handed to him would be given careful study.

  1. Identical notes of May 10 not printed; they enclosed an identical undated memorandum, the text of which is printed in the New York Times, May 17, 1946, p. 6, col. 2.
  2. In a memorandum of May 10 to President Truman, Mr. Acheson noted that the assurances in this sentence had been given by him to the Arab Chiefs of Mission pursuant to the President’s authorization (867N.01/5–1046). On May 17 he sent identical replies to their notes of May 10, which stated in part: “I wish to take this opportunity to renew the assurances which I expressed to you during our conversation on May 10 … when I stated that it was the intention of the Government of the United States to consult with Arabs and Jews before taking any definite decision relative to the Committee’s report.” The full text of his replies is printed in the Department of State Bulletin, May 26, 1946, p. 917.

    Assurances similar to those in the notes of May 17 were telegraphed by Mr. Acheson to Abdul-Karim Mutahher, Yemenese Foreign Minister, on May 17 in response to his telegram of May 11; and by President Truman to the Amir of Trans-Jordan and the President of the Lebanon on May 22 in reply to their telegrams of May 11 and 14, respectively, and to the President of Syria on May 24, in response to his telegram of May 16 (867N.01/5–1246, /5–1146, /5–1446, /5–1646). The text of the President’s telegram of May 17 to Prince Abdul Ilah, Regent of Iraq, is printed in Memoirs by Harry S. Truman, vol. ii, p. 148.