265. Telegram From the Embassy in Iraq to the Department of State1
223. I called on Nuri at his home this morning. Nuri is leaving for Istanbul tomorrow where his family has been vacationing. He will see his two teen age grandsons off to public school in England and then return to Baghdad with his wife and other members of his family on September 21.
I told Nuri that I wanted to have another talk with him on the Secretary’s statement before he got away. I said that I was particularly interested in learning whether the Cabinet had reached any decision.
Nuri Said that the Cabinet had decided that if the GOE and Jordan, the two governments most immediately concerned, came out with a favorable reaction to statement, or if Egypt did so alone then the Government of Iraq would do likewise. He then reported what he had said to me previously that he was especially interested in the stand the GOE would eventually adopt. Egypt to him was the key nation.
Of all the problems involved, Nuri continued, that of the refugees was the most important. Frontiers came next. A conciliatory gesture by Israel in the field of refugees would in his view contribute more than anything else to preparing the way for coming to grips with the general problem of Arab-Israeli relations. Agreement in principle on Israel’s part to receive refugees would constitute such a gesture. No one knows how many of the refugees want to return to Israel. There may be only a few. If in response to such a gesture by Israel, it developed that a great many wanted to return, then both parties would have to come into the picture. To get at the problem though called for some gesture first from Israel.
Would there be an opportunity before long for the Arab states to meet and exchange views on the Secretary’s statement I asked Nuri.
Nuri Said that there was talk of another meeting of the Political Committee of the AL on or about September 20. That meeting he continued if it materialized would be on the Foreign Ministry level and Bashayan would of course, attend. Whether he were back from Istanbul by that time or not would make no difference. “Bashayan” he added, “knows my views. He knows I would want him to [Page 455] encourage full exploration of Mr.Dulles’ statement and of ways of moving on with it”.
As I was leaving, Nuri Said that he was urging upon all his friends not to reject the Secretary’s statement out of haste but to study and weigh it carefully.
I told Nuri I was glad to hear that.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 684A.86/9–755. Top Secret; Alpha; Limited Distribution. Received at 10:33 a.m. Repeated to London.↩