48. Editorial Note
On May 22, Karim Azkoul, Permanent Representative of Lebanon to the United Nations, addressed a letter to the President of the Security Council in which he asked, upon instructions from his government, for an urgent meeting of the Council to consider a complaint by Lebanon concerning intervention by the United Arab Republic in the internal affairs of Lebanon. (U.N. Doc. S/4007, May 23, 1958) Telegram 4138 from Beirut, May 22, reported that the Lebanese Government had voted to submit the complaint to the United Nations but that Foreign Minister Malik expressed the hope that the Security Council would not take up the matter for a few days. A similar complaint had [Page 73] been submitted to the Arab League, and he wanted the League to have an opportunity to consider the problem before it came up in the United Nations. (Department of State, Central Files, 783A.00/5–2258) On May 23, the Department of State sent instructions to the U.S. Mission at the United Nations concerning the Lebanese complaint. The instructions, which were approved by Dulles, defined U.S. objectives as providing and developing support for the Lebanese case in the Council, and demonstrating through such support U.S. determination to ensure the integrity and independence of Lebanon. References to the United Arab Republic, however, were to be made in terms of regret over actions rather than “bitter direct attacks.” The U.S. Delegation was to follow the Lebanese lead in the timing and development of the case in the Security Council, but was instructed to encourage the Lebanese to present “as airtight case as possible.” (Ibid., 330/5–2358)