501.BB Palestine/6–448: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Douglas) to the Secretary of State
2482. Embassy’s 2442, June 3,1 paragraph. 1. Bevin raised with me today question mediator’s observers and said that in proposing nationals small neutral states he had in mind as primary objective keeping out USSR. US formula of Nationals Truce Commission member-states assisted possibly by Swedes or other neutrals accomplishes this and hence Bevin is entirely agreeable to our proposals. When I read him Department’s 2069, June 3,2 Bevin said it was fully in accord with his views.
2. Bevin told me that in difficult period ahead regarding Palestine he hoped the closest four-way cooperation and exchange of information can be worked out between Cadogan, USUN, British Embassy Washington and Department.
3. Bevin told me of June 3 telegram from British Embassy Cairo reporting call from Bernadotte to effect that Prime Minister Nokrashy Pasha is anxious for British Navy and Air Force to assist Bernadotte in securing observance terms truce. Bernadotte told British Ambassador that he had no objection in principle to this and asked Ambassador to put question urgently to Bevin. Later Nokrashy directly approached British Ambassador with same request.
4. Bevin said that although he was willing to think it over his first reaction to use Royal Navy and RAF is negative due to apprehensions that use British Navy and RAF might give rise to demands from USSR to be included among military observers or otherwise.
5. I was advised later today by Michael Wright that further consideration in Foreign Office has led to conclusion, which Bevin and Attlee approved this afternoon, that this might turn into first formal request from mediator to HMG and that under terms SC Resolution HMG could not refuse to “give the greatest possible assistance to the United Nations mediator”. Consequently Bernadotte will be told that if he makes formal request Bevin would be prepared to recommend to his colleagues that British aircraft and such vessels as might be necessary be put at the disposal of mediator to observe both sea and land frontiers Palestine with view to reporting to mediator any suspicious movements which might be designed to contravene terms truce. [Page 1098] So far as possible British sea and aircraft would carry members mediator’s observer staff and in no circumstances would they stop vessels or engage in positive enforcement action. Their function would be to report only.
6. I note that final sentence Department’s reftel envisages British aid along these lines to Bernadotte.
Sent Department 2482; repeated Baghdad 64, Cairo 82, Brussels 91, Paris 259, Moscow 93, Beirut 30, Damascus 34, Jidda 77, Jerusalem 80. Department please repeat Haifa and USUN.