785.00/8–1051: Telegram

The Minister in Jordan (Drew) to the Department of State 1

secret

53. It is time to call a halt to the intrigues of Jordan’s neighbors over the disposal of her far from prostrate form.

In Amman the Iraqi Min is flagrantly continuing the campaign for union of Jordan and Iraq started by Nuri Said at the time of Abdullah’s funeral. It is widely reported that Egypt Leg is agitating for independence of West Jordan (former Arab Pal) under mandate of the Arab League and the Saudi Arabian Leg for partition, northern Jordan going to Syria and southern part to Saudi. Reference to these intrigues is found in Damas tel 692 to Dept Aug 6 and Jidda tel 68, Aug 5.2

While there is as yet no indication that Jordan will be willing pawn in these maneuvers they are having disturbing influence on internal polit sit and can hardly fail to comfort the ex-Mufti and his followers. Externally they are bound to disturb the precarious equilibrium which has prevailed in the NE since 1948. (For Israeli reactions see Depcirtel 81 July 26.)2

I hesitate to suggest that we, either alone or in concert with UK and Fr undertake démarches through our diplomatic reps for fear that anti-West forces in certain countries seize on such action to allege for intervention. I recall the adverse reaction in Syria to our approach to that govt when in March 1950 it was threatening to close the border with Jordan.

However, I do recommend that we consider the denunciation in Wash jointly with identical statements by UK and Fr in London and Paris of corollary to tripartite decision of May 25, 1950 to the gen effect that we oppose any alteration of status quo in NE unless people affected by proposed change of sovereignty are given opportunity freely to express their wishes respecting the change. I believe such [Page 994] statement wld clearly fall within the purview of tripartite decision. It wld probably be well recd Leb and remaining NE states cld hardly oppose it openly. It might lay to rest suspicions of Brit connivance at Iraq–Jordan union (Damas tel 42 July 23).3 At least it wld encourage Jordan Govt to require diplo reps recd by it to conform to accepted usage and cease their scandalous intrigue.

Dept will appreciate that I have only touched on highlights of sit which susceptible of extensive elaboration. Other possible lines of action may occur to Dept such as statement in sense suggested not tied to tripartite dec; confining action to UK and US or alternatively oral representations to missions concerned in Wash and London, My personal preference wld be for course proposed in preceding para.

Drew
  1. Repeated to Baghdad, Beirut, Cairo, Damascus, Jerusalem, Jidda, London, Paris, Tel Aviv, and Tripoli.
  2. Not printed.
  3. Not printed.
  4. Not printed.
  5. Not printed.