Foreign Relations of the United States, 1951, The Near East and Africa, Volume V

780.5/10–1951: Circular telegram

The Secretary of State to Certain Diplomatic Offices ¹

secret

Washington, October 19, 1951—7:42 p. m.

372. Addressee missions instructed seek FonOff concurrence fol line to be taken on quadripartite basis in Tel Aviv re substance follow-up approach now contemplated Depcirtel 371 Oct 19.² Dept believes method handling approach Israel shld be left to discretion reps Tel Aviv so long solidarity MEC founders apparent Israel Govt.

2. Israel shld be informed that approaches being made Jidda, Baghdad, Beirut, Amman, Damascus along lines Depreftel and that we are not going further than Para 3 (third) Depreftel re invitations Arabs because they are unlikely accept this time.

3. In informing Israel Govt, reps wld state that sponsoring powers providing above info enable Israel also have full picture latest devels and to permit Israel on same basis as Arabs carefully consider importance MEC.

4. If pressed re ques invitation Israel assoc itself MEC, reps wld be authorized state (a) no invitations yet issued and (b) at present time for obvious reasons it wld be prejudicial MEC if Arab attention were diverted from inherent merits of proposals and distortedly focussed upon idea that through MEC they might be assocd with Israel.

5. Reps wld state that as sponsoring powers proceed with discussions re MEC blueprint, Israel’s views will be welcomed, i.e. Para 3 (third) Depreftel.

Acheson

1. Drafted by Stabler and G. Lewis Jones, approved and signed for the Secretary by Stabler. Sent for action to London, Paris, Ankara. Sent for information until instructed to Tel Aviv. Sent for information only to Baghdad, Cairo, Jidda, Tehran, Amman, Beirut, and Damascus.
2. Supra.