GREATER SYRIA PLAN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R000300370009-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 7, 1998
• Sequence Number: 9
• Content Type: IR

Approved For Release 1999/09/08 : CIA-RDP82-00457R0003003
cFERE
RAL INTELLIGENCE G
INTELLIGENCE REPORT
COUNTRY Levant States, Iran Jord /iraQ.
SUBJECT Greater Syria Plan
25X1A6a
ORIGIN
25X1X6
DATE: 25X1 X6
INFO
FIST. 4 February 1947
PAGES 2
SUPPLEMENT
1, It has been reported, as of 20 September 1946, that Deputy Rushdi Kikhya
of Aleppo has been patting out strong propaganda in Aleppo, Harims Idl3,b,
Jisr al-Shugux-, and among Beduin tribes, in favor of the Greater Syria plan.
Upon the arrival of the "~'rrans-Jordanian Minister to Lebanon, Muhammad Ali
;: A j1uni,, on 1 October 1946, Kira came to Beirut to y his respects,
and h4 assured luni of his support for King Abdallah.
3. On 23 September, Ajluni went to Damascus aid visited Hasub Babila owner
of al- am, newspaper. Mvl rowed Sal id %Ubayd, merchant and prc-Hasbimite
lea er, enrtain. Ajluni at lunch with some 15 other guests. As the
meal ended., Mustaft al Balsa,, Inspector of the Syrian 5u ,, arrived with
police officers and. gave fUb 3 -the choice of breaking utp the "i11e .*
Meting or of g o i n g , to jails whereupon V U b a y d sent his g u e s t s ate.
On the day preceding the luineheo , a meeting was reported at the home of
Kh d all?A (then Minister of National Econ. - and Justice), which was
attended Satdallah a11Jabri (Prime Minister of Syria at that date),
Journalists, deputies, and other important people. ' . Jabri is said to
have violently attacked King Abdallah and to have called on all present
to crush Abdo .ahws propaganda campaign in Syria,
Jamil al idfa& i, former Prime Wxd.ster of Iraq, who was In Beirut on 22
October, is opposed to King Abd }..lah, and stated while in Lebanon that
Lebanon and Syria were more independent that any other Arab countries, and
that they ehould resist; the hater Syria programs to the end.
Sami. Bay Kayyali, Secretmry of the Municipality of Aleppo, was sent by
Sa&dallah:ai 'ebri to Lebanon to work against Greater Syria (reported
on 26 October).
25X1X6
7* Al Jabri gave him letters to the Mufti of Lebanon, Muhammad Tawti q maids
as wall as to She ldi Muhy1 al-Din Hakkawi, and he is reported to have
seen them both. Kayyali told them not to be misled by King Abdallah and
his Damascus advocate,, man Bey a1 i1akizo
25X1 X6 of the Lbflowirig information has well-established contacts 3n .25X1 X6
official Trans--Jordan circles. The report is dated
This do^ument is hereby reg-tided
CON.Fft)EN h AL it acco d .:;c e e
letter of 13 0::Dbor nom the
Director ci Ce p' . c ;,once to the
!-77
D em
/09/08: CIA-RDF;V16 A 0a?y7A T
Date : __-
 Approved For Release 1999/09/08 : CIA-RDP82-00457R000300370009-3
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE GROUP
25X1X6
25X1A2
8. Samir Pasha Rifa'i, former Prime Minister of Trans-Jordan,
and Haydar Bey Shukri, Director of the Ottoman Bank in Amman,
have on several occasions mentioned the desirability of the
Greater Syria plan
Samir Pasha.has stated that, at present, Lebanon is being left
out of the plan, as she is the strongest opponent to the movement.
However, Samir Pasha felt certain that, once Greater Syria was
formed, Lebanon would ask to be admitted.
10. On 2 November, Samir Pasha Rifa' i and Haydar Bey Sh akri arrived
in Beirut, presumably on business. While in Beirut, however, both
visitors were extremely busy meeting old friends and political.
leaders. It was during this visit that Samir Pasha made a statement
to the press in favor of the Greater Syria plan.
25X1X6
11. In regard to his press statement, Samir Pasha stated to
25X1 X6 ~ that his remarks published in the papers about the Greater
Syria movement not applying to Lebanon were "mere eye-wash"; that
by leaving Lebanon out of consideration, she would ask to be taken in,
25X1X6
12. under cover of a business visit,
as a made the trip to Beirut especially to put the Greater
Syria plan to the test, .previous to the meeting of the Arab League.
Approved For Release 1999/09/08 : CIA-RDP82-00457R000300370009-3