Office of the Historian

320.2AA/7–850: Telegram

Ambassador John B. Blandford, Jr., to the Secretary of State

restricted
Beirut, July 8, 1950—noon.

15. Rapun 33. During meeting Damascus this week with Keen1 on administrative matters, Syrian Prime Minister stated Syrian Government now ready cooperate PRA on public works projects provided did not involve refugee settlement. Agency [garble] Syrian Government on working level re projects on July 11.

In later discussions Cairo Ali Bey Marei, Egyptian Government liaison officer to PRA told Keen: (1) Egyptian Government about to permit PRA undertake works projects Sinai area; (2) Government will shortly indicate agreement permitting up to 150,000 Gaza refugees leave area for other Arab states; (3) Government forming high level interdepartmental committee to study refugee question.

PRA watching developments.2

[Blandford]
  1. James Keen, Deputy Director of UNRWA.↩

  2. The Department, on July 11, expressed gratification at PRA progress in Syria and Egypt (telegram 20, identified also as Unrap 34, from Beirut, 320.2AA/7–1150).

    Legation Beirut advised, on June 21, that the Advisory Commission had authorized UNRWA’s planning committee to proceed with plans for two road projects in Arab Palestine and had requested the planning committee to meet with it within one week and present to the Commission an outline of a comprehensive program of public works for Jordan. The objective of the program was “to assist Jordan to carry the refugee burden when international assistance is no longer available.” (Despatch 268, 320.2AA/6–2150).

    Ambassador Blandford had further discussions with Syrian Prime Minister Azm on UNRWA and technical assistance on July 12 and 13. The Prime Minister was said to have shown his usual hostility to resettlement of refugees and peace with Israel but manifested a greater desire to cooperate in non-Palestinian connected economic fields than he had shown before. The Prime Minister pledged himself to immediate acceptance and implementation of UNRWA programs for roads, irrigation, and drainage projects (telegram 21, July 13, from Damascus, 320.2AA/7–1350). As summarized in Legation Beirut’s “Round-Up of UNRWA Activities No. 8”, the Prime Minister’s position was that “his Government was prepared to cooperate in works projects, so long as they did not involve external pressure on Syria for a political settlement with Israel.” (Despatch 20, July 19, 320.2AA/7–1950)

    The Department, in reply on July 18, noted that “If firm resettlement plans shld prove politically acceptable (referring Rapun 33) Dept wld be encouraged seek further funds for PRA which wld be justifiable as leading permanent solution segments of refugee problem. Present PRA budget was for interim works relief only and was not put forward as ultimate solution. Furthermore, such plans wld strengthen prospects of further action by GA in calling for additional funds for extended PRA program.” (Telegram 39, identified also as Unrap 37, to Beirut, 320.2AA/7–1850)

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