Foreign Relations of the United States, 1949, The Near East, South Asia, and Africa, Volume VI

501.BB Palestine/1–749

Memorandum of Conversation, by Mr. Samuel K. C. Kopper¹

top secret

[New York,] January 7, 1949.

Subject: Boundary Settlement in Palestine

Participants:	Mahmoud Fawzi Bey, Permanent Egyptian Representative to the UN
	Mr. John C. Ross, Deputy to the U.S. Representative to the UN
	Mr. S. K. C. Kopper, Special Ass’t. to the Director, NEA, Department of State

Fawzi Bey asked Mr. Ross and myself to lunch today to discuss further the matter he had raised, in the first instance, with the Secretary last summer, and more recently, and in more detail, with Dr. Jessup and myself in Paris (Delgas 920 and 953, Nov. 24 and 26, 1948).²

This matter has to do with the Egyptian views on what should be the proper boundary settlement in Palestine and the desirability for an informal understanding at the earliest possible opportunity between the United States, United Kingdom and Egypt. The principal features of our conversation today dwelt upon the question of whether such conversations should be undertaken and if so where should they be held.

Fawzi Bey said that while he was in Cairo at the turn of the year he had taken this subject up with the Egyptian Government. He now had authority to enter in discrete informal conversations with the American and British Governments regarding the boundary lines which should be established in southern Palestine. He said that his position was one where the Government of Egypt would have to be able to denounce him if dire necessity required it to do so, i.e. if any informal understanding he worked out could not be put over in Egypt. Accordingly, he thought any informal private negotiations should be undertaken in New York. If they were undertaken in Cairo, London or Washington it would lend an official governmental air to the negotiations from which it would be almost impossible to deviate. Besides this some of the Egyptian officials were somewhat wary of under taking conversations in London because of the political atmosphere surrounding United Kingdom-Egyptian relations at the moment.

Mr. Ross and I pointed out that the establishment of the Palestine Conciliation Commission by the General Assembly on December 11th was a most important factor which we would have to take into consideration before deciding on whether informal conversations should be carried on behind the scene. We said that even assuming such conversations might take place they would have to be handled very carefully and could not in any way impede the work of the Conciliation Commission. Fawzi Bey seemed to understand this. He said that the objective of such informal conversations would be to facilitate the work of the Conciliation Commission.

I explained that following Fawzi Bey’s approach to Dr. Jessup in Paris which we of course had reported to the Department it had been agreed informally in Paris by Mr. Rusk, Mr. Ross, Mr. Wilkins and myself that Paris would not have been a suitable place or time to undertake the negotiations envisaged by Fawzi Bey. Mr. Rusk had indicated that it was a matter we would have to take up after the conclusion of the General Assembly. I explained to Fawzi Bey that the question had not been discussed since our return and, therefore, no decision had been taken. Mr. Ross suggested that we endeavor to obtain the views of the Department at an early date.

Mr. Ross then indicated that if the discussions were to be held his first reaction was that New York would be the most suitable location.

I inquired of Fawzi Bey what the position of Egypt was now regarding the boundary settlement. He replied that it was substantially the same as it had been when he spoke to Dr. Jessup. He reiterated that the Jewish bulge in the Negev should be rectified.

Fawzi Bey then repeated what he had indicated to the Secretary last summer and to us in Paris during the fall. There were many Egyptian leaders who were anxious to get the Palestine question settled so that they could get along with the development of the Egyptian economical and social system. He felt, however, that a pre requisite to this was the settlement of the Palestine situation. He repeated what he had told Dr. Jessup in response to the latter’s question regarding the possibility of Egypt and Transjordan working out their differences. Fawzi Bey said that it would be difficult to do this but it was by no means impossible.

Mr. Ross and I informed Fawzi Bey in a personal manner and with complete candor that we thought the more constructive role which Egypt had played in the last number of months was helpful toward gaining a solution to this problem. We promised to let him know the reaction of the American Government to his proposal at an early date.

This conversation took place at Lake Success.

1. Mr. Kopper was Special Assistant to the Director of the Office of Near Eastern and African Affairs; at this time, he was detailed as an Adviser to the U.S. Delegation at the United Nations.
2. Delga 920 is printed in Foreign Relations, 1948, vol. v, Part 2, p. 1625; No. 953 is not printed, but see footnote 2 to Delga 920, ibid., p. 1627.