© 2007 Institute of Current World Affairs
The Institute awards long-term fellowships to develop a deep understanding of an issue, country, or region outside the US and to share that understanding with a wider public.
Institute of Current World Affairs - Home Page

Below is a hobbled text version of a PDF document.
In order to read the actual document please click the link below and register if necessary.
(One-time registration is free and very quick.)
Read article

4/17/1949 - Syrian Coup D’Etat by Richard D. Robinson

INSTITUTE OF CURIENT WORLD AFFAIRS Hotel Omd Damascus Syria April Mr Walter S Rogers Institute Current World Affalrm Fifth Avenue Yek New York Dear Mr Rogers It without difficulty Because Syrian visas suspended Thus Mersin Turkey trying Syrian Consul there The upshot issued without authority No sooner arrived Aleppo security police placed under house arrest hotel Through friends gained newly appointed Governer Alepp secured freedom after about hours The morning every cleared Damascus There mistake authority along folks concerned border After interviews sightseeing visit nearby villages kilometers south Damascus New psssenger DeSotos andChryslers every Our Damascus another siege interviews TII R NE FERTILE CSCENT COUNTRIES Parl RAI RDR Pge2 On night March swift painless volutlon swept Syrian administration headed President Shukrl Quwwatli Fifty Colonel Husnl Zmim Syrian chief staff prlme mover A military government immediately proclaimed The country continues ruled military decree Rllable informants would Colonel Zalm handful trusted officers planned They forced their earlier expected because President Quwwatll signed order dismissing Zmim The disaffected because charges In criminatlons hurled against against Zmlm particular Govern respect Palestine flasc Apparently U S Minister submitted report month impending military The source Minister information President Quwwatll himself But Quwwatll thought handle sltumtlon Three weeks persons heard Colonel Zaim He Aleppo parents probably Kurdish extractien In I18 graduated military academy Istanbul serve lieutenant Turkish during World War I later officer under French administration Sria In fought Vichy French forces captured British sentenced years He servedimonths sentence concentration Leban which Presi Quwwatli imprisoned Zaim secured release Zaim entered newly Syrian Republic Later Director General Security II Syria I8 cabinet shake Commander Ohief Syrian Army The popular Shop window signs claim Colonel Zaim The National Liberator There demenstmationa dis0rder In Alepp military court organized peaceful shift power Private citizens politicians camps foreign bservers uanimeua change badly needed The gevernment through corruption Its advised ecenomic policies forced living unbearably nearly bankrupted country The Syrian people psychologically prepared And lenelaim acted Ideology probably Zalm action regime safely established Government buildings ideology rapidly develping It appers Syri government seems entering RDR THE NEW STF2 OF SYRIA Translation Nationl Liberator ST Cionel Husni Zaim The Cmmander Personlfi Hereism Sacrifice Country RDR Page4 The inspired example Mustapha Kemal Turkey Our accomplish reforms every field economic political social We carry those reforms which proved successful TuPkey Thus declred governor Aleppe Husni Barazi onthe morning April private conversation By reason special decree Barazi second Colonel Zaim Syrian scheme things This means Syria Arab states clean static conservatism iddle East It means women emancipated given political rights It means clothing modelled along estern lines It means complete religious equality It means vigorous effort improve standard living It means program refers feudalistic barons It means strong ernment backed equipped It means nation conscious identity sovereignty I fortunate submit written questions Colonel Zaim himself Yesterday afternoon quarters handed answers For record I insert below _uestion I Wnat prime factors which motivated Colonel against former evernment Answer everl factors Mot mortant frequent titutional regime Further exploited resources state benefit partisan groups The election basis which president elected corrupt Finally administration opposed injured instead strengthening uestion On April Husni Barazi statement quoted above Is statement ___Sowe__ The etataa inspired necessities situation Syria Our Social economic political reforms prove similar happened Turkey other progressive countries This means inspired precedents regardless where occurred system which establish conform special conditions Syria Question Does following moves eveSualiy Syria Abolishment religiously significant clothing Abolishment Answer The government encouragement respect points intend toforce these reforms Page Equal political rights women Answg_r My declaration educated women first Arabic world toward equality which developed Land reform Answer Yes Inctxem particularly income received landowners An Yes State control economic country Answer We progressively respect vital matters Progrmus designed raise standard village Answer Ye Abelishment secret societies dervish orders Answer Yes Limn number religious officil Answer So religious interfere political matters Government think necessary limit their number The Government prefers progressive evolution matters J Compulsory military service Answer Yes A party government Answer It depends result elections which place after constitution dragted Adoption Latin glphbet Answer No Close government control education Answer The present government control educitlon sufficient uestion Do believe people Syria illiterate peasants I ready democr Answer The proportion wrong The percentage litera people Syri By nature Syrian democratic Freedom fundamental factors Question How large Colonel believe Syri should A_wer I already declared I intend increase Syrin pemce purpose defending borders Svrla other Arab countries needed uestion Does Syria worried about hostilm inent nelghborm Turkey blmnk Kin Abdullh blank Jewish Palestlne As_wer_ To place confidence Zienlsts desire peace their intent remain within their border mlstmke repeated another A reserve force mentioned Total population Syria roughly three million Question If Mediterranean Pact formed similar Atlantl Pact would Syria enter Answer The foreign pellcy Syria respect others always conform pellcy determined Arab League ueshien Colonel ttltude question Tpline Will ratified Syrian Government The Government decided restudy Tmpllne conventlen Deiion conclusion study uemtion I Syrian Petroleum Company stuck Syria closed wells reason being which company I pumping Iraq What Celonel eplnlen Refused sti0n I United States Government wlthhld reeegnltlon until Im cenvlnced governmen effective control country popular support people assured internatlenl obllgmtienm recognized What Celenel comment Answer I known United States given iarmtlen pellcy complete utherlty exerclmed Syrian Government entire country absolute support people evident everyone And I declarmtlen Syrlm honor lnternatlenal ebllgmtlen Question In Colenel opinion other Arab states refused recognize government An_swr Ne government Arab Arab declared refusal recognize government It Is evident consultmtlens taking place visits officials governments first toward recognition Question D Colonel Arab kings Saudi Arabia TransJordan Iraq Yemen Egypt perhaps werrie about possibility similar etats their countries Answer I would permit myself interfere internal affairs Arab sister states I concerned onlythat sister governments needed mintain their pendence freedom Question Does Co lonel Greater Syria King Abdullah constitutes threat sovereignty Sr Answer It matter which known Arab people His aJesty King Abdullah attempt realize project force It evident collaboration aiding Arab states reenforce their mutual place agreement There threat agreements sovereignty But I fsvor realizing Greater Syria ether similar project But Zimhasldy rounded Jailed known Communist leaders taken steps squelch Contmunist oranization This refers Trans Arabimn Pipeline Ce proposal construct across Syrian territory route Arabian American Pe roleum Co fields Saudi Arabia editerranean uestien Is Golonel plnning agricultural development country though might cutting luxurious Aleppe Damascus Answer The program which government begun forward object distribution comfort prosperit whole country special parts Qu estlen What wsthe reson choice Feidi Attassl Prime Minister Provisionl Government _swe___r Such question longer suitable e_stien Will president Quwwatli brought trial future If charges Answer The Commission Inquiry before these matters being submitted decide matter uestie Will constitution presented first ament Answer Yes guet_i_e_n_ major differences btween constitution previously effect Answer The present constitution drafted under French Mandate Th doubt constitution independent country differ document several counts especially respect freedom rights citizens But constitution depend commission chsrged drafting constitution which consulting different political parties before making final decision Ue__gsi_e_ As American I naturally interested Syrian American relations Does Colonel government Syria Syrian American relations stand better chance improving Answer New Syria desires terms United States times Syria considers relations United States vital importance matters which American policy coincides rights interests Arab state Will Colonel candidate President Syria estlen fetceming electlens Answer Yes conform majority people Feidi Attassiis leading member Populist Party major political parties Sia forming opposition Quwwatli ainistration The Populists center group which would think would Zaim reforms Attassi asked Zaim cabinet morning Zalm swered these questions however known Attassi failed cabinet refused particlpate geverent The issueybeen Tapline See Question The goverent probably plans Tapline proposs The night before appointment Minister Finance April Hasan Jabbara would undoubted advantage This probably reflects attitude Syria areement goverent explains participation Populists RDR9 Pge8 I believe these questions answers pretty intent governmentn Syria From conversations I belief Zaim regime Mustapha Kemal Turkey I redict ZmIm relinquish power voluntarily elctienm ntrlled government emerge whole series referms forced threugh This social peliticl reerienttin Syria which chain rection throughout Arab werld It bears watching Sincerely yours Richard D Robinson inerest acore Egyptian Govevnmensupressed Sin several dthen eated It Received New York