611.87/1–2654: Telegram
No. 181
The Ambassador in Iraq (Berry) to the
Department of State1
424. When I called on Prime Minister Jamali last evening prior my departure Amman, I congratulated him on his recent hard-hitting statements against communism and on his efforts to build an anti–Communist propaganda machine in Iraq.
Prime Minister stated he hoped to do more than just fight communism. He hoped to move to an open and avowed pro-Western [Page 468] campaign just as soon as he had “something in mind” to present to Iraqi public opinion as a concrete gesture of Western friendship. By this he was referring primarily to United States military assistance. Even one of the leading oppositionists in Parliament, ex–Defense Minister Sadiq Al-Bassam, who in public is rabidly anti-Western, is privately urging Jamali to accept United States military aid and to come out for the West.
Somewhat to my surprise Jamali voluntarily implied that he would study sympathetically any proposals that might be submitted to him as regards a military pact with Turkey or Pakistan. He said that while in Egypt he had sounded out Egyptian leaders regarding their attitude toward Iraqi acceptance of United States military aid. The Egyptians had replied that they had no objections but at the same time were apprehensive lest the Egyptian position on the Suez base question be adversely affected by Iraq’s adhering to military arrangements with Turkey and Pakistan prior to an Anglo-Egyptian agreement. Jamali said he obliquely replied that he would never do anything to prejudice Egypts position “but if and when Iraq considers any pacts Egypt will be fully informed about it.”
Jamali states he still intends visit Pakistan but exact time departure uncertain because Royal family once again considering state visit. His own plans will depend on theirs.
Jamali is also considering sending parliamentary mission to Turkey in order that Iraqi legislators can learn at first hand benefits Turkey has derived from United States aid.
Jamali reiterated once again, however, that all his good intentions would come to naught if the United States stirred up the Palestine question. When I asked him regarding Arab counterproposals to Jordan plan he said they were being developed adding that he would raise no objections to a second Johnston area visit and would not object to Mr. Johnston coming to Iraq.2 However, if we were asking him for his frank opinion about the advisability of such a visit, he would be obliged to counsel against it.
Other aspects of the conversation will be forwarded to the Department by despatch.
- Repeated to Karachi, Ankara, Tehran, Cairo, Beirut, London, Amman, Jidda, Tripoli, Tel Aviv, New Delhi, and Paris.↩
- For documentation on Eric Johnston’s trip to the Middle East, see Documents 381 ff.↩