Office of the Historian

86. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Iraq1

Washington, May 6, 1957—7:42 p.m.

2112. Baghdad’s 1846.2 Re Majali comments on military aid to Jordan. Request received from Jordan Government and possibilities and procedures now under study. Aid through third country is possibility but complicated and has disadvantages. Encouragement this idea should not be given at present.

We continue believe as stated Deptel 20823 most effective aid to Jordan would be that provided by friendly Arab countries. Iraq-Saudi meeting provides excellent opportunity coordinate such aid. We do not believe we should participate these discussions. In private conversations outside formal sessions you may emphasize to both Saudis and Iraqis our strong interest preservation independence Jordan, in fact we have given extraordinary aid, are continuing our regular aid program and have possibility some military aid under study. We believe Saudi Arabia and Iraq should continue provide economic assistance to Jordan and military aid as well.

(FYI—We should strongly encourage greater Iraqi contributions to this effort. In present circumstances ME, and view our knowledge Iraqi surpluses and fact Iraqi oil flow being restored, Nuri’s continued refusal consider appreciable aid leaves unfavorable impression. We would appreciate your assessment this problem. End FYI.)4

Dulles
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 785.5–MSP/5–657. Secret. Drafted by Newsom and approved by Rountree who signed for Dulles. Repeated to Amman.↩
  2. Supra.↩
  3. In telegram 2082 to Baghdad, May 6, the Department instructed the Embassy to continue to emphasize to the Iraqis the advantages of stabilizing the situation in Jordan through aid from other Arab countries. (Department of State, Central Files, 885.0087/5–657)↩
  4. On May 9, Gallman informed the Department that he had conveyed the first two paragraphs of telegram 2112 to Nuri. According to the Ambassador, Nuri was pleased that the United States was considering Jordan’s request for military assistance and seemed ready to accept the fact that the United States was not participating in the coming Saudi-Iraqi talks. Gallman added, among other things, that in response to his view of the desirability of Iraqi aid to Jordan, Nuri responded that Iraq was presently “short of cash”. (Telegram 1860; ibid., 785.5–MSP/5–957)↩