Office of the Historian

501.BB Palestine/8–1149: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the United States Delegation at Lausanne 1

top secret
Washington, August 11, 1949—9 p. m.

Unpal 225. Ref Palun 265.2 Dept believes discussion territorial question within PCC shld be helpful at this stage. As indicated Unpal 213,3 Dept believes that procedure of having PCC agree on various alternative plans as basis for possible discussion between parties is preferable to having PCC itself agree on a single plan for territorial adjustment which might be unacceptable to both sides and share the fate of the Bernadotte plan.

Dept has fol comments on your numbered paras:

(1)

Dept suggests procedure outlined Unpal 213 shld be emphasized to French and Turkish dels in order to stress concept of flexible proposals rather than rigid plan at this stage.

If French del has radically different proposals it is suggested they be put forward as alternatives to general PCC proposals rather than as separate and distinct French proposals. Dept believes foregoing procedure wld avoid confusion and misunderstanding which might arise from such discussions as those reported between French and Lebanese.

(2)
Turkish proposal appears substantially identical with that contained Keenan instructions Jan 19494 except for northern Galilee and rectifications in central Palestine.
(3)
Dept is not clear re areas mentioned in (b) (c) and (d). Pls describe further.

Suggested US proposal appears, in general, to add territory to Israeli Gaza strip proposal, to make certain territorial rectifications in northern central Palestine and to add certain territorial changes in southern central Palestine as exchange for western Galilee.

US proposal also appears, in general, to be at considerable variance with position US has previously taken. We therefore do not believe your proposal shld be put forward within PCC as final US views or official US territorial position at this time. On other hand, it must be [Page 1302] remembered that any territorial settlement which is acceptable to parties wld undoubtedly be acceptable to US.

Dept is presently working on alternative territorial position as suggestion which might be put forward in General Committee of PCC. Following consultation with Porter concerning it, you will be further informed.

Acheson
  1. This telegram was repeated to London.↩
  2. Dated August 5, from Lausanne, p. 1286.↩
  3. Dated July 28, to Lausanne, p. 1267.↩
  4. Not printed, but see footnote 1, p. 681.↩