Office of the Historian

120.280/10–2553: Telegram

No. 706
The Chargé in Jordan (Lynch) to the Department of State1

secret
Amman, October 25, 1953—11 a.m.

201. From Johnston.

1.
Jordan Prime Minister received Lynch and me at his home evening 24th. Meeting at which Foreign Minister and Minister Education also present lasted two and one half hours. Three other Cabinet Ministers later joined.
2.
During 48 hours which elapsed between first (see Embtel 190)2 and second meetings with Prime Minister local atmosphere had steadily worsened. Reports and rumors piled up that Arab League political committee had voted to reject US proposals out of hand. British Ambassador told me 23rd that Prime Minister was under strong pressure to refuse to see me at all. Furlonge stated he had felt constrained point out folly of such behavior to Prime Minister in strong terms. Local press attacked me morning 24th as “pure Jew” and prime mover among US Zionists. When I arrived at Prime Minister’s house for second meeting Foreign Minister was hostile to point where he opened conversation with insulting reference [Page 1384] to my “Zionist connections” which Lynch quickly and effectively squelched.
3.

Meeting charged with emotion. Major difficulties included: (1) Firm refusal even consider course action involving agreement with Israel in any form; (2) Belief on part Jordanians that US and UNRWA committed build Yarmuk—only project in any event; (3) Foolish but strong hope that HKJ can eventually obtain by prior appropriation even larger volume of upper Jordan water than quantity allocated by TVA report.

I made it as clear as I could that US was uncommitted to finance any construction in Jordan Valley. Pointed out that US experts were convinced that unified development held out most possible advantages for HKJ; also that Burger now supports unified concept. Tactic throughout meeting was to keep Jordan representative away from flat refusal towards which they veered many times. By use very plain talk and all persuasive resources at our command we succeeded in extracting promise that Jordan Government would keep door open, study and consider TVA report, and rediscuss sometime after turn of year. Meeting ended in atmosphere cordiality.

4.
I do not for a moment believe that we are out of the woods in HKJ. We can however take certain amount of pride in having kept Jordan Government from having totally and for all time rejecting plan. I leave Amman feeling (1) That we have gained time in which Embassy and USOMJ can continue efforts in support of the unified conception (2) That we can now usefully endeavor enlist the understanding and support of other Arab States.
5.
Proceeding Cairo whence air pouching full report.
Lynch
  1. Repeated to Baghdad, Beirut, Cairo, Damascus, London, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Paris, and Jidda.↩
  2. Document 704.↩