Office of the Historian

110. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Jordan1

Washington, November 20, 1957—9:06 p.m.

1227. Dept has read your 10002 with considerable interest. We believe that closer association between Jordan and Iraq; or Jordan and Saudi Arabia; or Jordan, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia, would be a constructive development provided it took place at the initiative of the states concerned. To have best chances of succeeding it should be spontaneous indigenous move. We have no illusions however as to political and practical difficulties involved. We feel in present atmosphere in area that US intervention with states concerned on specific behalf of any such alignment might well have undesirable political repercussions and constitute obstacle to progress. We therefore believe that US should at this moment take no initiative with regard to Hussein’s project but should not oppose it, allowing the states concerned to work things out in their own way.

We continuing encourage Iraq and Saudi Arabia to extend political and economic assistance to Jordan, and, in event of need, military support.

Dulles
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 785.00/11–1657. Top Secret; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Rockwell and Bergus and approved by Berry who signed for Dulles. Repeated to London.↩
  2. Not printed. (Ibid.)↩