501.BB Palestine/6–348: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in Egypt
712. Please inform Count Bernadotte that we are highly gratified at success which has thus far attended his energetic and conciliatory efforts with Arabs and Jews.
You may likewise inform UN Mediator that President has assented to this Govt contributing its fair share of military observers in conjunction with other Govts, preferably France and Belgium, as the other members of Truce Commission, to implement Paragraph 7, SC resolution May 29.
We feel that before formal action can be taken Bernadotte should make an official request of this Govt for assistance contemplated. You should in terms of strictest confidence inform Count Bernadotte that this Govt would not be pleased to serve if Russians or satellite states were asked also to send military observers.
Re your 659, June 2, we feel that Count Bernadotte should have complete liberty of choice in selecting his deputy and we would have no objection to a Swede in this position nor to whatever additional Swedish staff Bernadotte might require.
Question of payment of military observers has not yet been resolved in UN but this Govt considers that simplest arrangement would be for govts which send military observers to defray their expenses and also to accept charges incidental to furnishing of necessary equipment such as airplanes and land transport. However, if other govts have different views we are prepared to concert our policy with theirs. It might be that for Bernadotte’s staff use he could make arrangements with British, who have large supply of military equipment on the spot, to loan him such airplanes and naval or land transport facilities as he may require. This is offered purely as a suggestion.
Sent Cairo as 712 for action. Repeated Haifa as 107 and Jerusalem as 534 for similar action if Bernadotte not first reached by Cairo Repeated for info to USUN as 359, London as 2069, Paris as 1934 Brussels as 848, Moscow as 628.