Coll 17/10(3) 'Internal: political situation; relations with HMG' [‎53v] (106/513)

2
m
7.
of all categories (including illegal immigrants) since April 19 /® ls *P p ™e"er
30,000. The white paper provided for a total immigration sp^ad over
five years, and there seems therefore no particular ground foi alarm amon 0
Arabs on ^ t g h j,g^“j constitutional development, the white paper states explicitly
that thetrstTep viz., the appointment^ a few PalesUnmn h^ds of depar^
mpntq will onlv take place “ when peace and order have been sumcientiy lestoiea
in Palestine ” ^t is recognised that conditions in Palestine have greatly improved
from the security point of view, but you should explain that even so, it will
probably beTun^d fmpract.cable to embark on constitutional and administrat ve
changes of this nature under war conditions, particularly since, m spite oi the
lecelft British successes against Italy. Palestine --t be r^arikcl as closely
involved in the military operations in the Middle Last. While F J J
Government hope and expect that, when the war is ended, conditions in 1 ales a
will permit the various steps of constitutional development to follow upon^ne
another in orderly succession on the lines already laid down, they feel that these
conditions afford adequate iustification for delay at present. •
8 I have no doubt that you will frequently be asked in private conversat
for an expression of your own personal views regarding the likelihood of a ha _
to that of the Jews. In reply to such enquiries yo should ‘hat you see
reason to suppose that His Majesty’s Government Gwerm
announced in 1939. It is true that the policy laid down by Hm Majesty s ^
ment in the white paper of 1939 was in form merely a statement ot intention
spring ofS had tL^dhiig to^ept ba^s^ifH,^Majesty’s Government’s
mandate. d laration wa s deliberately framed to cover only the strategic
10. This dec!a Government, and, as your Excellency will see, it
requirements of His Majesty s y ^ nr mlation of Svria or the Lebanon,
to provide you with any g rea ^J, 1 '' v la ; estv > s Government is at present under
11. The Syrian policy of His Majesty s uovei £ Goyemm ent
review, and all that you can say at^ pres^ inde p e ndence, though they doubt
have much sympathy with ffairs g Yr i a W ou!d be able, any more than
whether in the present state ^ should lose no opportunity of making
Iraq, to stand entirely “'^^^“^Lt for Syrian asp,rations, now and at the
end'o? thef wait wXnafuraUy depend on the attitude which the Syrians are
themselves prepared to adopt during the presen ^jugg the line u should
12. Arab Federation-There ■'emains tne qu ^ M ai e sty’s Government
take if questioned with regaid to tic Arab States. The problem of Arab
towards some form of closer union 5' ln '’ 11 g, . memorandum dated the
Federation was fully discussed in a foreign^umce^ has ^ made
28th September, 19 . 39 ', an( ’* 0 r ils 1 to overcome the difficulties involved, or to draw
up °any practical theme for realising Amb aspirations. You may, however,