and if the Saudi Arabian Government can establish such a service without violating its existing contractual relations with Cable and Wireless, which is obviously the case under the terms of Article 17 of the existing contract, then the British authorities should not indirectly or directly try to prevent the establishment of such a circuit. If the only telegraph service between Santiago and London were routed by All America Cables through New York, this Government certainly would not support All America Cables in trying to prevent installation of a direct radiotelegraph circuit between Santiago and London. That is not this Government's conception of the kind of relations that should exist between Allies in time of war, and does not constitute a proper basis for the kind of cooperation we envisage in the postwar period. This matter should be considered objectively, sanely and in a mutually conciliatory manner by British and American authorities. There is no disposition on the part of this Government to hurt the interests of Cable and Wireless but we do believe that the commercial interests of one company should not stand as an obstacle to the desire of the Saudi Arabian and American Governments to improve telegraphic relations between the two countries, nor should it be the cause of bad feeling between our two Governments. I wish you would present these views personally at earliest possible opportunity to Mr. Eden and express the hope that from now on there will be no further difficulty with regard to this matter and that we may confidently expect the closest cooperation between our two Governments, which can only redound to our mutual advantage. STETTINIUS 811.7490F/12-1244: Telegram The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State LONDON, December 12, 1944-2 p. m. [Received December 12-noon.] 11006. ReDept's 9918, November 25, 6 p. m. and 10264 December 8, 3 p. m. Department's views were presented personally by me to Mr. Eden. In order to be able to reply fully Eden is consulting Foreign Office officials who are directly concerned with certain aspects of this matter. I expect soon to be able to telegraph Eden's reply. WINANT 6 Anthony Eden, British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. 811.7490F/12-2244: Telegram The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State LONDON, December 22, 1944-3 p. m. [Received 5:30 p. m.] 11374. ReEmbs 11006, December 12, 2 p. m. A written reply to our representations and observations made on the establishment of a direct radio circuit between Saudi Arabia and the US has now been received. A paraphrase of the reply follows: Records of Foreign Office show that on November 21 Sheikh Yusuf Yasin expressed to Minister Jordan the desire of the Government of Saudi Arabia to reserve its rights, in accordance with article XVII of the Agreement of April 13, 1935, to modify, if it so desired, certain articles of the agreement. No objection was raised by Jordan to this suggestion and the Saudi Arabian Government's reservation was communicated on the same day to Cable and Wireless. A new situation has of course been created by this and Cable and Wireless are consequently waiting for any proposals which the Saudi Arabian Government may see fit to make with a view to modifying the agreement. The company for its part is meanwhile continuing to explore the possibility of improving the service between the US and Saudi Arabia in a way to meet the complaints of the US Government. It is hoped that shortly certain suggestions can be made which can then be discussed jointly taking into account security and other considerations which are involved. The State Department's statement that the Allied military authorities in the Mediterranean Theater are not satisfied with the services rendered by Cable and Wireless is the first suggestion of that kind to reach us. WINANT 811.7490F/12-3144: Telegram The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State LONDON, December 31, 1944. [Received December 31-9:37 a. m.] 11579. The following communication has just been received from the Foreign Office: "Nevile Butlers in his letter to you No. W17867/1476/801 of the 20th December said that he hoped soon to be in a position to pass * British Assistant Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. 9 See telegram 11374, December 22, 3 p. m., supra. on to you certain suggestions by Cable and Wireless Limited for improving communications between Dhahran and the United States. We have now received the company's proposals and consider that when they he been put into effect they should fully meet the practical requirements of the United States Government. The company state that the relative situation of Bahrein and Dhahran is such that a much clearer and better telegraphic service with London and New York can be given by a station situated on the island of Bahrein than by a station on the mainland at Dhahran. The company therefore proposed to erect a 10kw transmitter with the necessary power plant receivers et cetera at their existing station at Bahrein which is already in communication with Aden, Muscat, Karachi and other places. This new station would be worked by the company's operators and would be capable of giving a satisfactory direct service to London, New York and the other places mentioned. It remains to consider the necessary link between Bahrein and Dhahran and in this respect the company are prepared to do whatever is necessary to give an entirely satisfactory service. If communication is required with other places on the mainland besides Dhahran the company would be glad to consider the matter on receiving further details. You will thus see that these proposals provide in effect for an efficient and direct service from Dhahran and on learning that they are acceptable to your Government the company will enter into negotiations with the Saudi Arabian Government on this basis. It would no doubt be useful if the United States representative in Saudi Arabia were authorized to inform the Saudi Arabian Government that the proposals were acceptable to the United States Government. It would then remain to consider the security aspect of these proposals." WINANT SYRIA AND LEBANON AGREEMENTS REGARDING TREATY RIGHTS OF THE UNITED STATES AND ITS NATIONALS IN SYRIA AND LEBANON1 AND RECOGNITION BY THE UNITED STATES OF THE INDEPENDENCE OF SYRIA AND LEBANON; ATTITUDE OF THE UNITED STATES TOWARD THE QUESTION OF TREATY RELATIONS BETWEEN THESE COUNTRIES AND FRANCE 890D.01/8-944: Telegram The Secretary of State to the Diplomatic Agent and Consul General at Beirut (Wadsworth) 3 WASHINGTON, September 5, 1944-7 p. m. 134. The United States Government has observed with friendly and sympathetic interest the accelerated transfer of governmental powers to the Syrian and Lebanese Governments since November 1943 and believes that the local Governments may now be considered representative, effectively independent and in a position satisfactorily to fulfill their international obligations and responsibilities. The United States is therefore prepared to extend full and unconditional recognition of the independence of Syria and Lebanon, upon receipt from the local Governments of written assurances that the existing rights of the United States and its nationals, particularly as set forth in the Treaty of 1924 between the United States and France, are fully recognized and will be effectively continued and protected by those Governments until such time as appropriate bilateral accords may be concluded by direct and mutual agreement between the United States and Syria and Lebanon, respectively. Following the receipt of such assurances this Government proposes to appoint an EE and MP5 as its representative near the Syrian and Lebanese Governments and would be pleased to receive in this country diplomatic representatives of Syria and Lebanon of the same grade. 1 For previous correspondence regarding American rights in Syria and Lebanon, see Foreign Relations, 1938, vol. 11, pp. 1003 ff. 2 For previous correspondence concerning the interest of the United States in the development of self-government in Syria and Lebanon, see ibid., 1943, vol. IV, pp. 953 ff. 3 Accredited also to Syria; resident in Beirut. 4 Convention between the United States and France, defining American rights in Syria and Lebanon, signed at Paris, April 4, 1924, Foreign Relations, 1924. vol. 1, p. 741. 5 Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary. You should address separate notes to the Syrian and Lebanese authorities in the foregoing sense, forwarding copies of your communications and the replies thereto promptly to the Department. The President desires to appoint you as United States Minister near the Syrian and Lebanese Governments. The Department trusts that such appointment will be agreeable to you and requests that you ascertain informally from the appropriate local authorities that it would likewise be agreeable to them. It is the Department's intention to notify the French of this decision, as a matter of courtesy, following the receipt of satisfactory replies from the Syrian and Lebanese Governments and before the news is announced publicly. HULL [For agreement between the United States and Syria regarding the treaty rights of the United States and its nationals in Syria and recognition by the United States of the independence of Syria, effected by an exchange of notes signed September 7 and 8, 1944, see Department of State Executive Agreement Series No. 434, or 58 Stat. (pt. 2) 1491. For similar agreement between the United States and Lebanon, signed September 7 and 8, 1944, see Department of State Executive Agreement Series No. 435, or 58 Stat. (pt. 2) 1493.] 890D.01/9-944: Telegram The Diplomatic Agent and Consul General at Beirut (Wadsworth) to the Secretary of State BEIRUT, September 9, 1944-noon. [Received 3:52 p. m.] 182. On September 7 I handed identic notes to Lebanese and Syrian Foreign Ministers as directed in Deptel 134 September 5, 7 p. m. Yesterday I received Syrian Government's reply and this morning that of the Lebanese Government. Written in English, both cite essential portions of my notes, give requested assurances textually as set forth therein, express appreciation of friendly attitude of United States Government and welcome and accept proposal to exchange ministers. Copies of four notes are forwarded to Department under cover of despatch No. 512 airmailed today. 7 Selim Tacla, Lebanese Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Jamil Mardam, Syrian Minister for Foreign Affairs. 7 Despatch dated September 8, not printed. |