785.00/7–551: Telegram
The Minister in Jordan (Drew) to the Department of State 1
4. Legtel 233 June 28.2 On July 4 on Jerusalem road, had casual encounter with King,3 Crown Prince Tallal and latter’s son, Prince [Page 982] Hussain. Tallal appeared tense but acted normally during brief roadside conversation.
At reception July 5 of Diplomatic Corps at Palace on occasion of post-Ramadan Feast, King introduced Dr. Ford Robertson who was at his side, explaining that Tallal, on doctor’s advice did not attend reception. King said to Corps Tallal leaving for Geneva in next few days to continue treatment interrupted by early departure from London. He mentioned to Corps our mtg on road on previous day. I infer this was subtly planned to bring Tallal’s condition out into open and possibly as hint that King may look to young Prince Hussain as eventual successor to throne. His action in stopping me on road to present young Prince and reference to it at Diplomatic reception were obviously with some purpose in mind.
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Suggest Consulate Geneva, through Dr. Robertson or otherwise, might be able follow developments there.
- Repeated to London, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Cairo, Jidda, Baghdad, Beirut, Damascus, and Geneva.↩
- Not printed; it reported on Crown Prince Talal’s arrival in Amman on June 27 after an unexpected departure from London where he had been resting and undergoing psychiatric observation.↩
- Abdullah ibn Hussein, King of Jordan.↩