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

501.BB Palestine/8–3049: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom

secret

Washington, August 30, 1949—6 p. m.

3126. Embtel 3325 Aug 23.¹ Depts attitude re direct talks has not changed. Dept has always held to view that direct talks between high Israeli and Arab officials shld be encouraged, if such talks wld contribute to discussions at Lausanne and wld enhance possibility of obtaining an agreed settlement. Ethridge and Porter have made this viewpoint abundantly clear to Israeli and Arab dels at Lausanne and have continuously endeavored promote such talks. It will also be recalled USG actively supported proposal that Egypt and Israel shld hold direct talks on Gaza Strip.

In a very few instances Dept has not favored proposed negots owing to special circumstances (timing, duress, etc.) which gave reason to believe that such negots would not be constructive step toward agreed settlement. Such cases have been exception to consistent policy of encouraging direct negots whenever practical.

Re desirability Jordan undertaking direct conversations Dept has recd no info indicating that Jordan or any other Arab state has changed attitude and is prepared at this stage to enter into such conversations either at Lausanne or elsewhere. However if any real evidence does exist that the direct talks between Jordan and Israel at this stage could commence and wld contribute to settlement of Pal problem Dept wld be far from opposed.²

Acheson

1. Not printed; it recounted a conversation with Mr. Burrows who was said to recall “several months ago US Government had taken line with Jordan of discouraging direct negotiations. Since that time, Jordan Government has on several occasions inquired of UK Government its attitude re desirability undertaking direct conversations with Israelis. UK Government, in order to concert with what it understood to be US views this subject, has discouraged Jordanians. Burrows inquired whether Department’s views have now changed.” (501.BB Palestine/8–2349)
2. The Department repeated this telegram on August 31 to Paris as No. 3239 and to Ankara, Arab capitals, Tel Aviv, and Jerusalem (501.BB Palestine/8–3149).