187. Editorial Note
At the 310th meeting of the National Security Council on January 24, Allen Dulles discussed the situation in the Middle East in his briefing. For text of his remarks, see volume XVII, pages 47–48. Agenda item 3, entitled “United States Objectives and Policies With Respect to the Near East,” focused on NSC 5428 and the December 22 OCB Progress Report (Document 178). The discussion began as follows:
“Mr. Cutler passed briefly over the substantive content of the OCB Progress Report, in view of the fact that much of the policy was now out of date. He did, however, point to the recommendation of the OCB that the time was at hand for the Council to review our existing Near East policy statement (NSC 5428). In connection with this recommendation, Mr. Cutler added that he had learned, in a conversation with Secretary Hoover, that Secretary Dulles did not think that the time was yet at hand for the Planning Board to commence a review of NSC 5428. Nevertheless, Mr. Cutler suggested that the Council might wish to hear a report on the current situation in the Near East from Secretary Hoover.
“Referring to the OCB recommendation for a review of NSC 5428, Secretary Hoover indicated that the State Department believed that many of the long-range policies and objectives in the existing paper were still viable. Accordingly, rather than to commence now a reconsideration of NSC 5428, the State Department believed it would be better to postpone such reconsideration until some of the short-range problems in the Near East had been met and solved. He said he had particularly in mind developments in connection with the Joint Congressional Resolution and the results of the recommendations which would flow from Congressman Richards’ trip to the Middle East.”
The discussion then turned to the situation in the Gaza Strip and King Saud’s forthcoming visit. For text, see volume XVII, pages 48–49. Arthur S. Flemming then made some comments on the supply of petroleum:
“In concluding his remarks, Secretary Hoover suggested that Dr. Flemming might wish to comment on the petroleum situation as it was affecting Western Europe. Dr. Flemming summarized a recent meeting of himself and Government officials to discuss conditions in Texas and the decisions of the Texas Commission. He pointed out that Europe appeared to be in pretty good shape with respect to its supplies of gasoline, but that it was not well off in terms of its fuel requirements. At present, the fuel supply was only 67% of Western Europe’s requirements. Nevertheless, Dr. Flemming suggested his view that it would be unwise for the Federal Government to exert direct pressure on Texas to increase output at the present time. One happy feature of the situation was that Venezuela had been shipping a great deal more crude to us than they had earlier estimated that they would be able to do. The discussion concluded with a comment on the difficulties which the Administration would face internally when the Suez situation was finally solved and Europe got its regular supplies of petroleum from the Middle East.”
The remainder of the discussion on this item is printed in volume XVII, pages 49–51.
The last item concerned NSC 5401 and the November 9, 1955, and June 22, 1956, OCB Progress Reports. NSC 5401, approved by the President on January 2, 1954, is not printed. The OCB Progress Reports [3 and 5 pages of source text, respectively] were not declassified. (Both in Department of State, S/P–NSC Files: Lot 63 D 351) The NSC directed the NSC Planning Board “to review the policy in NSC 5401 under special security safeguards.” (NSC Action No. 1659, approved by the President on January 28; ibid., S/S–NSC (Miscellaneous) Files: Lot 66 D 95, Records of Action by the National Security Council)
The memorandum of discussion at the 310th NSC meeting was prepared by S. Everett Gleason. (Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records)