Editorial Note
The short name “Transjordan” has hitherto been used in the Foreign Relations series to designate the territory ruled by King (formerly Emir) Abdullah. On June 1, 1949, there appeared in the Jordanian Official Gazette (No. 984) a notice by Prime Minister Tewfik Abul Houda, which, as supplied to the editors by the Bureau of Intelligence and Research in the Department of State, read as follows:
“It is to be remembered that the decision of the Houses of Parliament which was taken on May 25, 1946, and which declared the independence of this country said that the name of this Kingdom is the ‘Hashemite Kingdom of the Jordan’. The Jordan Constitution, published at the beginning of February, 1947, approved this decision. However, it is noticed that the name of Transjordan is still applied to this Kingdom, and certain people and official institutions still use the old name in Arabic and foreign languages, which makes me obliged to point out to all who are concerned that the correct and official name which should be officially used in all cases is: ‘Al-Mamiakeh Al-Urdunieh Al-Hashemieh’ and in English ‘The Hashemite Kingdom of the Jordan.’
“I beg the Minister of Foreign Affairs to inform all foreign legations in Amman, the Jordan legations in foreign countries, and the Secretary of the United Nations of this official name.” (890i.01/6–149)
The editors, accordingly, have decided to use hereafter the short designation “Jordan” in the annotating of documents in the Series.
Yussef Haikal, the first Jordanian Minister to the United States, presented his credentials to President Truman on June 1; see Department of State Bulletin, June 12, 1949, page 765.