Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, The Near and Middle East, Volume IX, Part 1

684A.85/5–1454: Telegram

No. 826
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in France¹

secret

Washington, May 15, 1954—3:04 p.m.

4099. Reference Embassy’s telegram 4382 May 14.² French Embassy representative invited call at Department May 13 (same day that United Kingdom notified of our final agreement on approach mentioned Department’s telegram 4070).³ He called May 14 and was informed United States hoped France would associate itself with Amman démarche which would be undertaken without delay following Ambassador Mallory’s return from Istanbul (therefore probably May 19, 20, or 22).

Department made clear: (1) it did not expect early action in Security Council on border situation due procedural wrangle re Jordan’s presence at Security Council meetings and other factors and therefore felt further delay in démarche Amman unwise; (2) certain measures would not necessarily require Arab-Israeli agreement (Department telegram 4070); and (3) Department favored informal secret approach by United Kingdom Ambassador speaking for all three.

Dulles

1. Repeated to London, Amman, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and New York.
2. Not printed.
3. Telegram 4070 to Paris, a repeat of the Department’s telegram 443 to Amman, May 13, 7:14 p.m., advised that the Department and United Kingdom representatives had agreed to proceed with the informal approach to Jordan (and later to Israel) regarding border measures. The Department and the British Foreign Office agreed that discussions should probably be conducted on the basis of “pooling” ideas of both sides, giving Jordan every encouragement and opportunity to present its own suggestions. (684A/.85/5–1354)