SAUDI ARABIA ee 1613.

| I have the honor to inform Your Excellency that I have been au-
thorized to convey my Government’s agreement with the foregoing.
I avail [etc.] po J. Rives Cuiips

 

-811.2390F/8-2549 : Telegram , a |
The Chargé in Saudi Arabia (Hill) to the Secretary of State
SECRET a ss Sapp, August 25, 1949—10 a. m.
502, Presented survey group? to King 4 p. m., August 22, in brief
courtesy call. | So 7, |
7 p.m. Yusuf Yassin and Fuad Bey Hamza called on us at Badia

‘Palace and Brigadier General O’Keefe explained his instructions and
objectives survey group. Hamza asked for brief summary for King
and this was prepared following morning August 23 in form aide-
mémotre.? BO os Oo
_ King received O’Keefe, Colonel Sherbourne, Captain Hensel * and
myself, 4 p. m., August 23. Seemed in excellent spirits in contrast.
quiet tenseness previous day. — e | -

~ After O’Keefe briefly summarized again his instructions and plans,
King said he wished make statement. Said he wanted relations be-
tween his country and US to be more than just friendly, wanted
them to be as one country, one government, one soil, all SA economic
’ life now in hands Americans, his country’s welfare our welfare, there-
fore we are as one. a | | 7 a |

_ Hashemites, King continued, are his traditional enemies as we know.
Therefore he desired. work of survey group lead towards giving him
“military forces equal to or greater than forces Jordan and Iraq. He
also asked that we draw on our intelligence sources and inform him
re military strength of these two countries, said he would place at
our disposal all data he has on this subject. In conclusion he authorized
O’Keefe to communicate directly with him on any phase of survey
_ group work. | - | |

_ Abundantly evident that King placing greatest hopes and faith on
real success and visible results from survey group to be accomplished
in simple, honest, and straight forward fashion and that if this is
not achieved it will be a terrible blow to him. No doubt King recalls —
his statement to Ambassador Childs last May “I am asking you. for

+The Joint United States Survey Group to Saudi Arabia (JUSSGSA), with
_ Brig. Gen. Richard: J. O’Keefe, U.S:A.F., as its Chief. The group’s mission was
oOo by Ambassador Childs to King Ibn Saud in the May 30 aide-mémoire;
~*Not printed; transmitted under cover of despatch 197, Au ust 29, from J idda
(811.2390F/8-2949). _ EPS vos , ,
- * Col. Thomas L, Sherbourne, Jr., U.S.A.F.; Capt. Karl G. Hensel, U.S. Navy.