General Gouraud had according to his secretary de Caix two options: "Either build a Syrian nation that does not exist... by smoothing the rifts which still divide it" or "cultivate and maintain all the phenomena, which require our arbitration that these divisions give". De Caix added "I must say only the second option interests me".
General Gouraud had two choices, according to his secretary de Caix: "Either create a Syrian nation that doesn't exist... by bridging the divisions that still divide it" or "cultivate and maintain all the issues requiring our intervention as these divisions cause them". De Caix added "I must say only the second option interests me".