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

890D.00/12–2249: Circular telegram

The Secretary of State to Certain Diplomatic Offices ¹

secret

Washington , December 22, 1949—8 a. m.

View opinion expressed Damascus 727 Dec 20² rptd you possibility exists more violent developments may occur in Syria giving rise to threat of outside intervention, you shld, of course, counsel Govt to which you are accredited refrain from any precipitous action and fol policy complete nonintervention, if in ur judgment situation warrants. You shld exchange views this regard ur Brit colleague.³

Acheson

1. At Baghdad, Tel Aviv, and Amman for action; and at London, Damascus, Jidda, Cairo, Beirut, Paris, and Jerusalem for information.
2. Not printed; it noted the possibility of more violent developments in Syria because of the involved political situation in the country and spoke even of the entry of the armies of Jordan and Iraq “to restore order” (890D.002/12–2049).
3. The Department, on December 22, directed London to convey the substance of the circular telegram to the Foreign Office and to suggest that the Foreign Office might wish to “give similar authorization to its representatives at Baghdad, Amman, and Tel Aviv (telegram 4575, 890D.00/12–2249).