229. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in India1
2419. For Ambassador Eric Johnston from Barnes. Arab League meeting originally scheduled for 19th now postponed until April 10 to 15. Jordan reported insisting on discussion JV Plan but no positive assurance this will be done. My present advice is that you should plan return here without stopping in area or transiting Cairo, although as always some unforeseen break in situation may suggest stop-over enroute home.
Latest from Nasser via Byroade is summary of conversation in which he said Plan could never be accepted under present name owing to propaganda build-up against it.2 Nasser also proposed unilateral approach to each of concerned governments by accredited ambassadors rather than special envoy, thus, in effect, dividing Plan into component parts so as to avoid any implication of agreement with Israel. In view of fact Nasser has been extremely well-briefed by Selim, such wholly impractical suggestions can in my judgment [Page 430] only be regarded as further stalling, and I doubt we can count on any real cooperation from him even if League should discuss.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 880.00/3-2956. Secret. Drafted by Barnes, cleared with Troxel, and approved by Wilkins who signed for Dulles.↩
- See Document 195.↩