Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Lebanon and Jordan, Volume XI

405. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, October 20, 1959¹

Washington, October 20, 1959

SUBJECT

• Jordanian Concern over Situation in Iraq

PARTICIPANTS

• The United States
  • The Secretary
  • NEA—Mr. Parker T. Hart, Deputy Assistant Secretary
  • NE—Mr. William C. Lakeland, Officer-in-Charge, Iraq–Jordan Affairs
• Jordan
  • Foreign Minister Musa Nasser Ambassador Yusuf Haikal

During a call on the Secretary the Jordanian Foreign Minister stated that he had been requested by King Hussein personally to convey the deep concern of His Majesty and the Government of Jordan over the current situation in Iraq. The Minister stressed the dangers to all the Arab countries, as well as the Free World, of a Communist takeover in Iraq. He made it plain, however, that Jordan was also extremely worried over the possibility of UAR intervention and that the United States might favor a Nasserist solution to the Iraqi problem. The Minister acknowledged that there was very little Jordan itself could do about the current situation in Iraq and said the King desired a frank exchange of ideas on this subject with the United States. He urged the United States consider sending promptly to Jordan a high-level emissary who could discreetly discuss the problem and possible measures to deal with it. The Minister stressed the King’s complete willingness to take whatever measures might be mutually agreed to be desirable under the circumstances. In discussing the situation in Iraq, the Minister professed to draw a distinction between the personal position and role in the Arab World of Gamal Abd al-Nasser (whom he acknowledged to be a popular and important leader in the area) and the threat of Egyptian domination of the Arab World—a prospect which he suggested was as unpalatable to the Iraqis as to the Jordanians themselves.

The Secretary said that the United States shared Jordan’s concern over the situation in Iraq. He pointed out, however, that if someone were sent to Jordan to discuss the Iraqi situation it would soon become widely known, no matter how discreetly the matter was handled, and would be taken as clear evidence that we were plotting against the Government of Iraq.²

1. Source: Department of State, NEA Files: Lot 62 D 25, Memos of Conversations, 1959. Secret. Drafted by Lakeland on October 21. Musa Nasser, who was appointed Jordanian Minister of Foreign Affairs on September 20, was head of the Jordanian Delegation to the General Assembly. Nasser took advantage of his trip to New York to request a meeting in Washington with Secretary Herter.
2. According to telegram 709 to Amman, October 21, Herter also discussed proposed FY 1960 aid levels with Nasser, and told him that the United States would be able to provide Jordan with $6.5 million in development assistance in addition to the $40.5 million in budget support previously promised. (Ibid., Central Files, 785.5–MSP/10–2159; included in the microfiche supplement)