Memorandum, State Department Summary of Telegrams

DEPARTMENT OF STATE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY WASHINGTON March 28, 1949 T SUMMARY OF TELEGRAMS ATLANTIC PACT We have advised our Legation in Reykjavik that we would prefer to have Iceland accept the invitation to join the Atlantic pact without comment. If, however, the Icelandic government feels it must say something, we suggest it state that Ice- land's special position as an unarmed nation limits the action it might take under Article V of the pact. Meanwhile, our Charge in Copenhagen has been told of Denmark's hope that the US will reconsider Denmark's arms application so that Denmark might receive promptly a "symbolic" arms shipment. Our Charge feels that such a shipment would serve as a boost to military morale and would have a beneficial political effect. ISRAEL King Abdullah of Transjordan has given to our Charge in Tel Aviv for transmission to President Truman a message which sets forth the demands made by Israel of Transjordan in the recent talks and which requests the President to prevent these "new movements". Abdullah says that these "movements" may cause a renewal of the conflict in Palestine. Meanwhile our Charge states that while Abdullah feels strongly about the manner in which the agreement has been forced upon him, he also realizes that failure to ratify it would lead to Israeli military action and to consequent territorial adjustments which would far exceed what Israel is trying to #extort" from Abdullah through negotiation. Our Charge adds his opinion that unless the US takes a strong line to stop Israel now, its frontiers may be extended to the Jordan River. GERMANY General Clay has expressed to our Acting Political Adviser in Berlin his opinion that the establishment of the west German government would inevitably be postponed. Clay feels that a failure to agree on common policies has resulted in a political failure for the western powers and that German sentiment is now turning against the formation of a west German government. DECLASSIFIED E.O. 12065, Sec. 3-402 R E State Dept. Guideline, June 12, 1979 By NLT- He NARS, Date 11-13-to