780.022/3–2953: Telegram
No. 1508
The Ambassador in Saudi Arabia
(Hare) to the
Department of State1
confidential
Jidda, March 29, 1953—11
a.m.
746. While here en route Cairo (Embassy telegram 744, March 282) Yassin went over Buraimi matter at great length. Most of what he had to say was so repetitious as not to require recording but following of interest:
- (1)
- Situation regarding observance standstill has deteriorated to point where Saudis will be unable continue maintenance present position. Unless British change policy Saudis will have no alternative but to meet augmented British force by force regardless of consequences, or of resorting some other device such as recourse to Security Council. Prince Faisal had been instructed on March 25 to so inform American Government either personally or through Saudi Ambassador Washington.
- (2)
- Saudis will definitely not submit Buraimi to arbitration but reply to British to that effect still being withheld pending receipt final report from Prince Faisal regarding his discussions in US.
- (3)
- Since American Government had unfortunately seen fit “to take sides with British” in supporting arbitration, Yassin had personally been thinking of asking some other country act as third party in observing plebiscite.
- (4)
- In reply my inquiry whether he seeing British Ambassador while here, Yassin said felt useless do so on basis past experience but would see him if he so requested. In subsequent discussion which I had regarding foregoing with British Ambassador he took somewhat similar line, saying he had indicated indirectly to acting [Page 2527] head Foreign Office he would be prepared see Yassin if latter desired but that he felt would be infra dignitatem to ask see him. Ambassador said only point in Yassin’s observations to me with which he agreed was that matters definitely could not be allowed to continue in present state and that action was required—British action.
Discussion with Yassin and Ambassador brought out nothing particularly new except that both sides apparently suffering increasingly from frayed nerves.
Hare