867N.01/3–2648
Memorandum of Conversation by the Director of the Office of Near Eastern and African Affairs (Henderson)1
| Participants: | Dr. Charles Malik, Lebanese Minister |
| Mr. Henderson, NEA | |
| Mr. Merriam, NE |
Dr. Malik came in by appointment at his request. He said that it would be helpful if we could make available to him any background or comment relating to the President’s press conference yesterday which would be of assistance to him in reporting to his Government. He indicated particular concern over the possibility that a trusteeship might be slanted toward, or be a subterfuge for, partition. He said that it was particularly important that his Government have accurate information regarding the background and purposes of trusteeship, since his Foreign Minister was just about to leave Beirut for an Arab League meeting in Cairo.
In reply, I quoted to Dr. Malik the following passage in the President’s statement:
“Trusteeship is not proposed as a substitute for the partition plan but as an effort to fill the vacuum soon to be created by the termination of the mandate on May 15. The trusteeship does not prejudice the character of the final political settlement.”
I said that I fully realized that the Arabs would be suspicious of a slanted trusteeship, and that I felt sure we had nothing of the kind in mind. I pointed out that Arab cooperation was essential for the success of trusteeship in the General Assembly, for if it were opposed by both the Arab countries and the Soviet bloc a two-thirds majority could not be obtained.
It was also pointed out to the Minister that the terms of the trusteeship agreement would constitute a safeguard, since it would be bound to contain specific provisions concerning the purpose of the trusteeship, the circumstances under which it would be terminated, immigration, and so on, and that it would be impossible to allow these matters to be dealt with in vague language open to various interpretations as was [Page 765] done in the mandate. We would, of course, be bound by the terms of the trusteeship agreement.
Dr. Malik asked whether it was too early to secure information on our ideas for securing a truce. I said it was a little early but that I would let him know when the matter was further along.
In concluding I said that I did not believe trusteeship would work unless there was cooperation from both Arabs and Jews; that it would be an extremely difficult matter to secure the cooperation of both sides but that he could be sure we were urging cooperation as strongly upon the Jews as upon the Arabs.
- Drafted by Mr. Merriam.↩