890D.01/9–1949
Memorandum by the Secretary of State to the President
Subject: Recognition of the Syrian Government.
The Government of President Husni Zaim in Syria was overthrown on August 14, 1949, by a group of disgruntled military officers who had participated with him in the coup d’état of March 30, 1949. These officers, under the leadership of Colonel Sami Hinnawi, executed both President Zaim and Prime Minister Muhsin Barazi but there was no further bloodshed during the coup. There is no evidence to indicate that any outside power participated in the coup in any way, and it seems clear that the officers seizing control were motivated by personal grudges against Zaim, dissatisfaction with his alleged failure to fulfill promises for army reform, and also by a desire to end the personalized authoritarian rule which President Zaim had established.
The Officers conducting the coup immediately turned the Government over to a Cabinet composed of civilians under the premiership of Hashim Bey al Atassi, distinguished Syrian elder statesman, and including the most prominent leaders of the Syrian Populist Party which had constituted the only effective opposition group in Parliament prior to the coup d’état of March 30.
The new Syrian Government has stressed its democratic and civilian character in contrast to the “military dictatorship” of the Zaim Government, and on September 11, 1949, published an electoral law providing for free elections which it has announced will be held in the near future. The Government has given oral assurances to American officials that it will respect all of Syria’s international obligations and [Page 1636] has stated that Syria is firmly aligned with the western democracies against Communism.
The governments of Turkey, Lebanon, Czechoslovakia, Spain, Argentina, Afghanistan and Venezuela are reported to have recognized the new Syrian Government, and Iraq and Hashemite Jordan have resumed relations with it. Saudi Arabia and Egypt have not yet recognized the new government, but the Saudi Arabian Government has stated that its attitude towards Syria is one of friendship.
In view of the unrest which has recently characterized Syrian internal politics, a decision to extend recognition to any Syrian Government involves some risk that the regime may not be permanent. However, the normal criteria for recognition of reasonable stability, public acquiescence and respect for international obligations seem to have been fulfilled in so far as the Syrian situation can presently be judged.
The Governments of Great Britain and France have stated they are ready to recognize the new government and desire to coordinate the timing of their recognition with the United States. Several other governments wish to take parallel action.
Continued suspension of diplomatic relations renders more difficult the accomplishment of projects in which the western countries are interested. Diplomatic preparation to facilitate the work of the Palestine Conciliation Commission’s Economic Survey Mission, for example, cannot be adequately undertaken by our Legation in Damascus in the absence of official contact with the new government.
Moreover, I consider it to be in our interest, as well as that of the Syrian people, that the present civilian government maintain control and carry out peaceful elections providing for a return to constitutional government, and recognition by the great powers will undoubtedly have a stabilizing effect on the new government’s position. In addition, early recognition will preclude the possibility of embarrassment to our representatives in their dealings with the Syrian Delegation at the forthcoming session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
After carefully weighing all factors involved, I therefore recommend that the United States recognize the Government of Syria within the next few days, and request that you authorize the Department to instruct the Legation at Damascus to take appropriate steps to that end.1
- President Truman approved this recommendation in an undated marginal notation. The Department, on September 19, instructed Damascus to “take appropriate action [and?] coordinate with Fr and Brit colleagues in accordance with procedure outlined Deptels 420 and 421 Sept 17.” (telegram 422, 890D.01/9–1949)↩