51. Editorial Note
On December 14, Secretary Dulles, in Paris to attend the 18th Ministerial meeting of the North Atlantic Council, met with British Foreign Secretary Lloyd at the Palais de Chaillot for a discussion that [Page 76] covered Middle Eastern matters. In regard to Jordan, the memorandum of conversation includes the following exchange:
“Lloyd enquired what might be done about the situation in Jordan. He went on the say that he doubted that the British would be willing to continue their subsidy, although they would not cut it off without thirty days’ notice. He said the UK was disturbed about the Jordan situation and did not wish to leave a vacuum. He hoped that the Jordanians would not automatically go to the Russians for help if the British subsidy were terminated. He said the Jordanians feel that the British are committed to payment of the full annual subsidy, which would carry through the British fiscal year ending March 31. He reiterated his doubt that the UK would be willing, in the face of the position Jordan had taken, to continue the subsidy.
“The Secretary said the US would have to have Congressional approval for any help we might want to offer to Jordan, and that before such help is offered we would need to know where we are going militarily and economically. We would not have to wait for an omnibus aid bill to pass Congress in order to offer such aid, but could give priority to a Middle East program, under which we might help Jordan, if we had a full understanding with the Jordanians as to the object and purposes of this aid and general policies. He agreed we should do something more in the area to make ourselves felt.
“Lloyd said the British Parliament would not want to sanction continued subsidy to Jordan under present circumstances, and he was apprehensive about what would happen during the gap between the end of the British fiscal year and the end of the US fiscal year. The Secretary said that Soviet assets are not unlimited and we should not assume they would pick up the check in Jordan.” (Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 62 D 181, CF 828)