Office of the Historian

108. Memorandum of a Telephone Conversation Between the Secretary of State in Washington and the Representative at the United Nations (Lodge) in New York, February 18, 1957, 11:30 a.m.1

Washington, February 18, 1957, 11:30 a.m.

The Secretary told Ambassador Lodge that we ought, if possible, find out from Mr. Hammarskjold what he has on the question of the administration of the Gaza strip.

Ambassador Lodge said he didn’t think Mr. Hammarskjold had any information on this, but he would ask Mr. Hammarskjold.

The Secretary said he doesn’t want to assume the moral position that something can be done if Mr. Hammarskjold doesn’t have anything going.

The Secretary said that we can handle the Gulf of Aqaba ourselves and he is not without hope that the Israelis will change their position if we can gain enough time.

Ambassador Lodge said the sponsorship depends on the type of resolution we have. If it is a simple sanctions resolution involving withdrawal, we can follow along. If it is anything else, we will have to be in on the sponsorship. If there is anything conditional in it, we can’t get it through.2

  1. Source: Eisenhower Library, Dulles Papers, General Telephone Conversations. Prepared in the Bureau of International Organization Affairs. At 11:12 a.m., February 18, Dulles joined a meeting in progress concerning the Israeli withdrawal question in Wilcox’s office. (Dulles’ Appointment Book; Princeton University Library, Dulles Papers) Present at the meeting were Wilcox, Elbrick, Ware Adams, and British, Canadian, and French officials. (Department of State, Central Files, 674.84A/2–1857)↩

  2. Later that day Lodge cabled Dulles a follow-up to this telephone conversation: “SYG believes Egyptians would accept UN administration Gaza on de facto basis, provided there is Egyptian” cloak’. SYG believes Fawzi would agree that UN should carry main burden in Gaza area and that there should be extension of UN functions and cooperation.

    “SYG is seeing Fawzi today, but does not expect to be able to get anything more precise than the above. SYG said this is no time to crowd Egyptians in view of position being taken by Israelis.” (Delga 751 from USUN, February 18; ibid., 674.84A/2–1357)

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