126. Telegram From the Embassy in the United Kingdom to the Department of State 1
3580. Embassy today conveyed to Foreign Office substance instructions repeated in Deptel 47662 as well as text Ambassador Johnston’s letter to Nasser (Deptel 47653). Foreign Office considers instructions admirable and expects send instructions along similar [Page 235] lines to U.K. Embassies Amman, Beirut, Cairo, Damascus and Tel Aviv tonight. Embassies will be told consult U.S. and French colleagues.
Embassy presumes Department has learned from British Embassy, Washington of reports (1) from British Embassy Cairo that Nasser advises against Johnston’s visiting area at this time on grounds it would give opportunity to those who wish sabotage Johnston plan, (confirming Fawzi’s remarks reported Cairo’s 15594) and (2) from British Embassy Amman that Jordan Prime Minister told British Ambassador HKJ intends inform Syria, Lebanon and Egypt of Jordan’s desire raise at Arab League Council meeting scheduled mid March question of answer to be given Ambassador Johnston. Jordan Prime Minister pointed out to Duke he hoped this would demonstrate good faith of HKJ and strengthen hands of Western powers in restraining Israelis from “causing further incidents” or recommencing work on Banat Yakub.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 684A.85322/2–2456. Secret. Received at 5:10 p.m. Repeated to Cairo, Amman, Damascus, Beirut, Tel Aviv, Paris, Jerusalem, Baghdad, Jidda, and Ankara.↩
- Printed as telegram 2000, Document 120.↩
- Printed as telegram 1999, Document 119.↩
- Document 92.↩