Office of the Historian

394. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, March 24, 19591

Washington, March 24, 1959

SUBJECT

  • Future US Support and Assistance for Jordan

PARTICIPANTS

  • Jordanian Participants
    • His Majesty King Hussein
    • Prime Minister Samir el-Rifa’i
    • H.E. Midhet Juma, Jordanian Ambassador
  • American Participants
    • The Acting Secretary
    • Hon. Robert Murphy
    • Hon. William M. Rountree
    • H.E. Hazza’ el-Majali, Court Minister
    • H.E. Bahjat Talhouni, Chief of the Royal Cabinet
    • H.E. Abdul Moneim el-Rifa’i, Chief of National Guidance
    • Hon. Sheldon T. Mills
    • Mr. Stuart W. Rockwell
    • Mr. William C. Lakeland

The Acting Secretary opened the discussion by welcoming the opportunity for a frank exchange of views with His Majesty and Prime Minister Rifa’i. Mr. Herter noted that no formal negotiations were envisaged during the King’s visit to Washington but said that he was particularly happy for the chance to meet the King and Prime Minister Rifa’i since personal relationships were of great importance in the conduct of foreign affairs.

King Hussein in replying thanked the Acting Secretary for the warm reception which he had been given and said that he too welcomed the chance to discuss with complete frankness Jordan’s problems and other matters of mutual interest.

The Acting Secretary, during the subsequent discussion, said that from the point of view of implementation of US aid programs he wanted to make it clear that factors beyond the control of the Executive Branch of the Government made it impossible for the United States to give any kind of long-term commitments. The Acting Secretary briefly described the role of Congress in authorizing and appropriating on an annual basis the necessary funds for foreign aid programs, and alluded to the serious difficulties which the program was currently facing in Congress. He stressed, however, that the assistance which the US had been giving to Jordan was a gauge of our concern for Jordan’s integrity and internal stability and should be taken as an earnest of our intentions for the future. Mr. Herter said he was particularly happy to be able to inform the King and Prime Minister that the Development Loan Fund had just taken favorable action on an application for a loan to the Jordan phosphate industry.

Prime Minister Rifa’i replied that Jordan was certainly extremely grateful for the generous assistance which the US had given and mindful of the considerations mentioned by the Acting Secretary. He suggested, however, that Jordan because of its strategic location and political role in the Near East had special significance from the US viewpoint and argued that in determining the amount of aid for Jordan, the US should take into account not only US-Jordanian relations, but also Jordan’s role in connection with the US position vis-à-vis other Arab states as well as Jordan’s role with respect to the Israeli situation. Mr. Rifa’i said Jordan’s case was really quite simple. For good or bad, Jordan existed as an independent state. Jordan hoped the US would agree that its continued existence was important. If it were concluded that Jordan should disappear, the Jordanians would decide how that should be brought about. If Jordan were to survive over the [Page 692] long run, however, the Jordan Government estimated it would need substantial assistance over a five to seven year period in order for the country to become established on a stable basis. To achieve this, Jordan would count primarily on US aid.

The Acting Secretary reiterated the inability of the US to make any commitment over a five to seven year period, to which Rifa’i replied he was only explaining the Jordanian position in the hope that general agreement on Jordan’s needs could be reached.

There followed a brief discussion of the Arab refugee problem with the Acting Secretary alluding to the prospective expiration of UNRWA’s mandate in 1960 and to the Congressional desire to see progress towards a solution of the refugee problem. The Jordanians acknowledged the importance of this problem and emphasized the status of the refugees as citizens of Jordan. The King pointed out that Jordan was trying to absorb the refugees but that the problem was related to the economic development of the country which in turn was largely dependent upon the level of US aid.

  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 785.5–MSP/3–2459. Secret. Drafted on March 31 by Lakeland and approved as accurate by Herter on April 15.↩