501.BB Palestine/2–549
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Secretary of State1
Subject: Rhodes Negotiations on Palestine
| Participants: | The Secretary—Mr. Acheson |
| Egyptian Ambassador—Mohamed Kamil Abdul Rahim | |
| Egyptian Minister—Anis Azer | |
| NEA—Mr. Satterthwaite |
After introductions and an exchange of amenities, the Ambassador reviewed, from the Egyptian standpoint, the course of the negotiations [Page 726] at Rhodes. He said that the Egyptian Government had accepted and was willing to carry out the Security Council resolutions of November 4, November 16, and December 29. Furthermore, in an effort to break the impasse and to succeed in reaching an armistice agreement with the Israeli Government, they had accepted the last compromise suggested by Mr. Bunche, U.N. Mediator, which involved a recession on their part from the November 4 resolution. Unfortunately the “other side” had consistently refused to accept any compromise and adhered to its original position. Notwithstanding this, the Egyptian Government was very anxious to reach an agreement and had instructed him to request me to “intervene” in the hope that the negotiations might not break down. It would be most unfortunate if the Rhodes negotiations were unsuccessful and hostilities were to break out again.
I told the Ambassador that I could not agree with him more fully. I had discussed this problem with the President and knew that he was most anxious that an agreement be reached. I had also discussed the problem with the Israeli Representative here and was glad to be able to tell the Ambassador that as a result I was somewhat more optimistic and felt that there was still a good possibility of reaching an agreement under the guidance of the Mediator. I could not, of course, go into details, as that was the duty of the Mediator. It was, however, important that negotiations not be broken off and that every effort be continued toward reaching an agreement on an armistice. While my government could not “intervene”, it would continue to use its good offices toward this end. At this point the Ambassador handed me an Aide-Mémoire2 (copy attached) which I did not read at that time. (It sets forth the latest Bunche proposals and describes the concessions required of the Egyptians.)
After thanking me for my assurances the Ambassador said that he would like to bring up one more point. Once an armistice agreement had been signed, he felt that the time would have come to turn a new leaf in Arab-American relations. The United States has carried out all its commitments to the “other side” and perhaps it could now once more consider what assistance it could give the Arab world which, in spite of whatever might be said, does still exist and cannot be ignored. He mentioned the possibility of rendering financial, economic, cultural and technical assistance. He is, he said, in the process of preparing on his own responsibility a résumé of the possibilities in this field which he would like to discuss with me some time. He felt that if the United States could once more resume its former friendly relations with the Arab world and help to bind its wounds it would [Page 727] have a great moral effect and contribute toward the security of that region. He thought that the first step was already under way in the efforts being made to increase the U.S. quota on Egyptian long staple cotton.
I said that I agreed fully with the Ambassador with regard to the desirability of our getting back on closer and friendlier relations and that I would be glad to go over his résumé with him when he had completed it.
In the course of the conversation I also said that we were aware of the cooperative attitude displayed by the Egyptians at Rhodes and were most appreciative of it.