Draft of Proposed Statement of the Secretary of State on the United States-United Kingdom Attitude Toward Middle East

Taken to White House by Mr acheson ROP SECKET to 6 copies 12/24/49 ARCHIVES AND "NATIONAL SERVICE'* RECOROS 336 Draft of proposed statement of Secretary of State on US-UK attitude toward Middle East Recent news about the Middle East has many encouraging aspects. The announc.ement today by the French Government of its de facto recognition of Israel is a major contribution to the settlement of the Palestine question.Similarly The announcement by the British Government of its decision to accord de facto recognition of the Provisional Government of Israel at an early date is a welcome and constructive step, and follows closely upon its recent decision to release the Jewish internees on Cyprus for entry into Israel. The Department of State has closely followed the armistice conversations on Rhodes under the auspices of the United Nations Acting Mediator for Palestine and earnestly hope that they will come to a successful conclusion. We trust also that the news of peace conversations between Israel and Lebanon, and between Israel and Transjordan, will be borne out by a statesmanlike decision among the Governments concerned to put a permanent end to the hostilities in the Holy Land. This Government, which with France and Turkey, is a Member of the United Nations Palestine Conciliation Commission, stands ready to do its utmost to assist the parties to compose their differencew DECLASSIFIED for BISCRET E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and S(D) or (E) Dept. of State letter, 2.23.23 By NLT- HC NARS Date 4.29.76