Office of the Historian

216. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, February 3, 19561

Washington, February 3, 1956

SUBJECT

  • Possible Future Developments with Respect to the Near East

PARTICIPANTS

  • UK
    • Mr. Evelyn Shuckburgh
    • Mr. J. E. Coulson
  • US
    • NEA—Mr. Allen
    • NE—Mr. Wilkins

Prior to his departure for London Mr. Shuckburgh accompanied by Mr. Coulson called to discuss possible developments with respect to the Near East in the light of the recent talks between President Eisenhower and Prime Minister Eden. During the course of the conversation the following principal points emerged:

1. Mr. Shuckburgh said that the British Foreign Office had received word from the British Chargé d’Affaires in Jidda that the Saudi Arabian Government had approached him regarding direct talks with respect to Buraimi. Mr. Shuckburgh said that Mr. Phillips was being instructed to give an encouraging reply and to keep the channel open. He hoped that the US would be able to support this development and would specifically instruct Mr. Wadsworth to consult with Phillips and to approach the Saudi Arabian Foreign Office. Shuckburgh said the British–Saudi Arab talks would be general and with no conditions attached to them. He hoped that we would say to the Saudi Arabs also that if the case subsequently went to the Security Council the US would not be able to support the Saudi Arab case there. Mr. Allen replied that he welcomed the commencement of direct talks between the British and the Saudi Arabs but that the US could not go so far as to indicate to the Saudi Arabs that we would support the British case in the Security Council. We could say to the Saudi Arabs that we welcomed direct talks. In addition, we might note that the Saudi Arabian Government might subsequently find it awkward to defend itself in the SC if the British were able to show they had been willing and anxious to negotiate directly and the Saudi Arabs had turned them down. Mr. Shuckburgh thought this would be helpful and it was agreed that the Department would telegraph the American Embassy in Jidda in this sense. Mr. Shuckburgh further added that, in the interim, Prime Minister Eden would consult the British Cabinet regarding [Page 341] various possibilities for the solution of British differences with Saudi Arabia.2

[Here follow points 2 and 3 dealing with various aspects of the Arab–Israeli question.]

  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 780.022/2–356. Secret. Drafted by Wilkins.↩
  2. On February 3, the Department informed Wadsworth in Jidda of Saudi Arabia’s approach to Phillips, adding that while the United States did not want to offer itself as a mediator, it did want the Saudi Government to know that it favored the idea of direct talks. The Ambassador was instructed to convey this to the King. The Department also added that Saudi Arabia might find it difficult to justify its position in the Security Council if the British could claim that they were prepared to open direct negotiations. (Telegram 369 to Jidda; ibid.)↩