674 Chapter 5
Talks between the Palestinian guerrillas and Lebanese government took place
in Cairo from October 29 to November 2, and both sides agreed to a ceasefire. On
November 3, they signed the Cairo Agreement, and 10 days later the Syrian govern-
ment reopened its border with Lebanon.
Coding changes: End Date changed from November 13, 1969. Fatalities changed
from Missing.
652 SYRIA/663 JORDAN
MID#3161
Dispute Number: 3161
Date(s): April 26, 1949 to August 14, 1949
Participants: 652 Syria/645 Iraq, 663 Jordan
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: In response to Jordanian claims that Syria would merge with it, Syria
closed the border, warned Jordan, and began increasing the size of its army. Iraq sta-
tioned troops in Jordan on the border with Syria to ward off any aggressive action by
Syria. A military coup in Syria ended the dispute.
MID#607
Dispute Number: 607
Date(s): April 13, 1957 to April 13, 1958
Participants: 365 Russia, 651 Egypt, 652 Syria/2 United States of America, 640
Turkey, 645 Iraq, 663 Jordan
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: 26–100 deaths
Narrative: Members of the Baghdad Pact (specifically Iraq, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan)
were targeted by Egypt, Syria, and the Soviets following the British action against
Egypt during the Suez Crisis of 1956 (see MID#200). In late November 1956, Iraq
warned Syria that it would use any means necessary to defend itself if Syria continued
alleged aggressive action, including the “lies” that Iraq was sending arms into Syria to
create trouble. Baghdad Pact members were also concerned over the increased Soviet
arms supplies to Syria. Iraq requested arms from the United States in December as
an attempt to counter the Syrian increases. In early December 1956, Syria lodged a
formal complaint in the United Nations regarding alleged threats from Turkey), claim-
ing that Turkey was preparing to attack and was concentrating troops along Syria’s
border. Turkey denied the troop movement allegations. Around this same time, the
United States warned Syria that any act of aggression against Iraq would be viewed
very negatively in Washington, and Jordan warned that any aggression against Syria
would be considered an act of aggression against Jordan itself. Jordan’s role in the
Middle East changed in April 1957 after President Nabulsi’s resignation who had tried
forming a left-leaning Jordanian-Syrian Federation. King Hussein forced Nabulsi’s