Office of the Historian

357.AC/3–3053: Telegram

No. 590
The Ambassador in Jordan (Green) to the Department of State1

secret
Amman, March 30, 1953—1 p.m.

820. Prime Minister summoned me to his office March 30. Stated he understood that General Riley was not an American official but a United Nations official. Nevertheless, as he is an American citizen the complete lack of confidence in him now shared by Jordan, Egypt, Syria and Lebanon. The Arab states principally concerned and also by Iraq, might be considered to affect American interests adversely. He trusted that USG might by advice to United Nations or otherwise, bring about Riley’s immediate recall.

Prime Minister said that no Jordanian official except those assigned to MAC would henceforth be permitted have any official dealings with Riley and that unless he were soon recalled Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan would prohibit his entering Jordan territory.

Prime Minister requested that I report his statements to my Government.

I said that I would comply with Prime Minister’s request but reminded him of what he said at beginning, viz. that Riley was a United Nations and not a USG official.

Green
  1. Repeated to Beirut, Cairo, Damascus, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Baghdad, Jidda, and Amman.↩