Office of the Historian

57. Telegram From the Embassy in Syria to the Department of State1

Damascus, January 31, 1956—5 p.m.

710. Embtel 701.2 Prime Minister Ghazzi handed me January 31 aide-mémoire of which following is summary.

Syrian Foreign Office informed that Israeli Embassy Washington told Department Israel determined resume work for diversion Jordan River end of February. GOS continues hold following position stated in its complaint to SC of October 16, 1953:

(1)
Diversion of Jordan removes natural barrier, which leads to military gain and thus conflicts with paragraph 1, Article 2, of GAA;
(2)
Diversion constitutes exercise of sovereignty on DZ, which conflicts with characteristic of area and in addition involves political gain contradicting paragraph 1, Article 2 of GAA;
(3)
Diversion deprives owners of Arab land irrigated by river of natural acquired right.

In addition, last paragraph of General Bennike’s decision of September 23, 1953, asked Israel to instruct authority which began to work in DZ on September 2, 1953, to stop work in area. Subsequently, on October 27, 1953, SC took unanimous decision supporting Bennike’s decision and providing that work in DZ should stop until issuance of final SC decision on basis of Syrian complaint. GOS therefore considers resumption work for diversion Jordan waters as new breach of GAA, violation of SC decision and provocation threatening peace and security in area. Ministry requests Embassy of US to inform its government of position of GOS re this question in order that, in interest of peace and security, it may take necessary steps to prevent Israeli authorities from resuming their illegal attempts.

End summary.

Texts follow by despatch.3

Copy aide-mémoire was also given British Ambassador4 January 30. Evening January 31 French Ambassador5 had not yet been approached. In reply to question, Ghazzi informed me Syrian position had been established following consultation with Syrian military and with Egyptians.

Press January 31 reports a GOS memo being presented to all members of SC.

Moose
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 684A.85322/1–3156. Confidential; Niact. Received at 3:14 p.m. Repeated to Amman, Ankara, Baghdad, Beirut, Cairo, Tel Aviv, London, Paris, Rome, Tehran, Jidda, and Karachi.↩
  2. Document 44.↩
  3. The Embassy in Damascus transmitted the text of the Syrian aide-mémoire to the Department in despatch 245, January 31. (Department of State, Central Files, 684A.85322/1–3156)↩
  4. Sir John Gardner.↩
  5. Achille Marie Clarac.↩