152. Editorial Note
While in London for the Sub-Committee of the United Nations Disarmament Commission, held between July 31 and August 2, Dulles, Macmillan, and Lloyd discussed the situation in Oman. On July 29, during a meeting attended by Dulles, Whitney, and Lloyd at [Page 233] the residence of the American Ambassador, the Foreign Secretary raised the question of Oman. The memorandum of conversation includes the following:
“Mr. Lloyd began the conversation by discussing briefly the Muscat–Oman and Cyprus situations. With regard to Oman, Mr. Lloyd said that there was no question of using British troops there. He said that they could indeed barely survive under the tropical conditions. It is, he said ‘110 degrees in the shade, but there is no shade.’
“The Secretary stressed that his purpose in coming to London was to deal with the question of disarmament and the work of the UN Subcommittee. He did not have the most recent information on either the Oman or Cyprus situations and therefore preferred not to discuss them at this time.”
The Secretary continued with a discussion of Cyprus. (Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 62 D 181, CF 894)
On July 31 during a meeting at 10 Downing Street, attended by Dulles, Macmillan, Whitney, and Lloyd, the Secretary referred to the current situation in Oman and the question of Saudi arms supply to the insurgents. The memorandum of conversation includes the following:
“I read the substance of Jidda’s 101. [Not printed; ibid., Central Files, 786E.56/7–2957] Macmillan seemed greatly pleased. He felt that irrespective of the accuracy of the information, it indicated a desire on the part of King Saud not to play this up into a great affair and to get himself deeply involved in it. Macmillan said that he too wanted to play it down, that they were not going to conduct an exhaustive military operation to eliminate all rebel opposition. Probably such opposition had existed for a long time and would continue to exist in the hills. They intended to call it off as far as they were concerned within ten days.
“He indicated a desire to try to maintain friendly relations with King Saud.” (Ibid., Conference Files: Lot 62 D 181, CF 896. In Dulte 10, from London, August 1, the Embassy forwarded an excerpt from the memorandum of the Secretary’s conversation concerning Oman; ibid., Central Files, 786E.56/8–157.)