Office of the Historian

105. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Turkey1

Washington, August 24, 1957—6:02 p.m.

569. We have been holding conversations with King Hussein concerning the types of military items which we might assist Jordan to obtain through the $10 million we have made available for this purpose. On August 19 in Amman King in conversation with Mallory asked that we consider furnishing regiment (which would be 36) of [with] M47 tanks.2

Ankara should inform King we agree furnish this number M47s.3 We assume he will wish also obtain at least one year’s spare parts for each tank as well as ammunition.

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Ankara may wish consider desirability Henderson’s conveying this information to King.

Amman should inform Rifai.

Dulles
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 785.56/8–2457. Secret; Priority. Drafted by Rockwell; cleared with OSD; and approved and signed by Dulles. Also sent to Amman and repeated to Istanbul and to Paris for USCINCEUR and DEFREPNAMA.↩
  2. Mallory reported the conversation in telegram 336 from Amman, August 21. (Ibid., 785.56/8–2157)↩
  3. King Hussein was in Turkey August 22–25.↩