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FOREIGN RELATIONS, 1949, VOLUME VI


501.BB Palestine/3-949: Telegram
            Mr. Wells Stabler to the Secretary of State

 CONFIDENTAL                        AMAN, March 9, 1949-7 p. m.
   91. Glubb Pasha gave following account this morning of armistice
 talks between Transjordan and Israel at Rhodes:
   When talks commenced Israelis raised 4 points as conditions to
 cease-fire and armistice:
   (1) Free access to Hadassah and Hebrew University;
   (2) Free passage past Latrun;
   (3) Opening railroad to Jerusalem;
   (4) Filling in trench dug by Arabs in no man's land near Govern-
 ment House. In return Jews would give electricity to Arab quarters
 Jerusalem. (All these points previously discussed in Jerusalem be-
 tween Dayan and Abdullah Tel.)
   As Transjordan delegation did not consider these conditions related
 to military armistice, officer returned to Amman for instructions. On
 return officer weatherbound at Cyprus and therefore Transjordan
 sent message yesterday to delegation instructing it accept 4 conditions
 but suggesting railroad be under joint control. As cost repair electric
 wiring in Arab part Jerusalem excessive, delegation also instructed
 state that instead electricity would prefer that road from Damascus
 gate past new gate and Jaffa gate and thence to Bethlehem be opened
 and that Jews give up their positions on Mount Zion, Nebidaoud and
 Deirabutor.'
 Glubb said that Abdullah Tel thought Jews would accept this
 arrangement in belief that lines thus agreed would represent final
 lines in Jerusalem and that Arabs were giving up claims to upper
 Bakaa, Qatamon et cetera.
 Glubb thought that "with any luck" cease-fire agreement would
 be signed tomorrow. He indicated that for purposes this agreement
 clause would be added to effect that it would be applicable to 'Iraqi
 areas if and when Arab Legion took over Iraqi front-line positions
 (Legtel85, March 7).2
 He said that next phase at Rhodes would be conclusion armistice
 but that with turn of events near Akaba one of Transjordan's principal
 bargaining points disappearing. Consequently, there would seem to
 be little use in taking any but most reasonable attitude towards
 Jewish demands.
 Sent Department 91, repeated Jerusalem 50.
                                                           STABLER
  1The United Nations announced, on March 9, that the Israeli and Trans-
jordanian Delegations held "their first joint informal meeting"
that afternoon
at Rhodes. The meeting lasted two and a half h6urs, during which an exchange
of views took place on 11 points, in a "very cordial atmosphere"
(press release
PAL/456).
  Notprinted, but see footnote 1, p. 799.