Near East, 1961–1962
91. Letter From the Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs (Talbot) to the Acting Assistant Secretary of State (Meyer)
Source: Department of State, NEA/IAI Files: Lot 70 D 229, Refugees REF 1 General Policy and Plans Jan-Aug 1961. Secret. The source text is the copy sent to Thacher. Talbot was in Nicosia, Cyprus, attending a Regional Operations Conference July 31–August 5. The Conference was one of several regional meetings of U.S. Chiefs of Mission held by Under Secretary of State Bowles. A briefing book prepared for Talbot’s use at the conference is ibid., NEA/NE Files: Lot 66 D 5, Briefing Materials for Meetings with Near East Ambassadors, Nicosia Ambassadorial Conference. For an “Outline of NE Regional Problems for Presentation at Under Secretary’s Conference,” see Supplement, the regional compilation.
92. Paper by the Director of the Office of Near Eastern Affairs (Strong)
Source: Department of State, NEA/IAI Files: Lot 70 D 229, Refugees, PCC. No classification marking.
93. Memorandum From Robert W. Komer of the National Security Council Staff to President Kennedy
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Country Series, Iran, 8/1/61–8/14/61. Secret. An attached note from Komer to Bundy, dated August 4, reads: “As I described at morning session you missed, last Iran TF meeting (called to ratify more emergency financial aid) was extremely gloomy. State’s main idea of coping with Iran crisis is to subsidize budget and planning development deficits. I have argued vigorously that this is not enough. State (and Holmes in Tehran) do not seem to be moving on political side as effectively as deteriorating situation would require. My concern is such that I have chosen attached device to get some movement. I would hope President would express his concern and ask SecState to get moving.” Copies of the note and its attachment were sent to Walt Rostow and Hansen.
94. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy) to Secretary of State Rusk
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 788.00/8–761. Secret. This memorandum was sent to Secretary of Defense McNamara and other members of the National Security Council as NSAM No. 67. (Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD Files: FRC 65 A 3464, Iran 1961; also in Department of State, NSAM Files: Lot 72 D 316, NSAM 67)
95. Paper Prepared by the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 784A.5611/8–1461. Secret. A table of contents and summary are not printed. The source text is undated, but a covering memorandum on the copy in Department of Defense files indicates that Lemnitzer sent the paper to McNamara on August 8 with a recommendation that it be sent to the Department of State for comment. (Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD Files: FRC 65 A 3464) The source text was transmitted to the Department of State under cover of a letter of August 14 from Deputy Secretary of Defense Gilpatric to Secretary of State Rusk requesting Department of State consideration of the non-military points being recommended in the paper.
97. Memorandum From the Department of State Executive Secretary (Battle) to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 788.00/8–1161. Secret. Drafted by Bowling and cleared in draft by Meyer and Kerr (E).
98. Memorandum From Robert W. Komer of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Country Series, Iran, 8/1/61–8/14/61. Secret. Copies were sent to Rostow and General Taylor. Attached to the source text is an August 11 note from Komer to Bundy that reads: “Attached is memo to go along (if you choose) with State’s interim reply on Iran. I got them to completely redo the latter so haven’t seen it yet. I ain’t happy, but I pushed things just about as far as I could. The main thing is that we’ve got State moving again. Also attached FYI is my draft reply which State couldn’t quite steel itself to buy. But it served its purpose.” Regarding the draft reply, see footnote 3, Document 97.
100. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 684A.85322/8–2661. Secret; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Crawford on August 31 and approved in B on September 14. An August 21 briefing memorandum from Meyer to Ball indicated in part that White House approval had been obtained to seek to enlist the support of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development to assist Jordan in constructing a large storage reservoir (the Maqarin Dam) on the Yarmuk River. Talbot had subsequently spoken with Eugene Black and William Iliff at the IBRD who said the Bank would be willing to engage itself if the United States was prepared to handle consultation with Israel. (Ibid., 684A.85322/8–2161)
101. Letter From Eric Johnston to the Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs (Ball)
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 985.7301/8–2661. No classification marking.
102. Letter From the Ambassador to Iran (Holmes) to the Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs (Meyer)
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.88/8–2761. Secret; Official-Informal.
103. Memorandum From the Department of State Executive Secretary (Battle) to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.86B/8–3061. Confidential. The source text indicates NEA/NE as the drafting office. Attached is an earlier draft of the memorandum which indicates Dickman as the drafter. Cleared by Strong, Cottam, and Dickman.
104. Letter From Secretary of State Rusk to the Deputy Secretary of Defense (Gilpatric)
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 784A.5611/8–1461. Secret. Drafted by Crawford and cleared by Farley and Kitchen.
105. Summary of Proceedings of a Meeting of the Iran Task Force
Source: Department of State, NEA/GTI Files: Lot 66 D 173, Task Force on Iran. Secret. Drafted by the Task Force’s Executive Secretary, Bowling. A September 6 memorandum, drafted by Bowling and sent from Miner to Talbot, contained suggestions for conducting the September 7 Task Force meeting. Attached to it is a State-Defense Working Level Ad Hoc Group report on Recommendation No. 5, approved by the National Security Council (see Document 51), which directed an examination of matters related to the deployment of U.S. forces in the area. (Department of State, NEA/GTI Files: Lot 66 D 173, Task Force on Iran)
107. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs (Talbot) to Acting Secretary of State Bowles
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 786B.11/9–1161. Confidential. Drafted by Thacher and cleared by Little (A). Sent through Deputy Under Secretary for Political Affairs Johnson.
108. Memorandum by Robert W. Komer of the National Security Council Staff
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 788.5/9–1361. Top Secret. A handwritten note on the source text reads: “from Komer.” Another notation on the source text, which reads, “President, From,” was apparently made by Department of State recordkeepers and refers to the Department of State indexing category for White House documents.
109. Memorandum for the Record
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 683.00/9–2861. Secret. Drafted by William B. Grant of the Executive Secretariat.
110. Memorandum From Robert W. Komer of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Country Series, United Arab Republic, 7/61–10/61. Secret. The source text is labeled “9:15 PM Situation Report.”
111. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Jordan
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 786B.00/9–2861. Secret; Niact; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Strong, cleared by Miner and Talbot in substance, and approved by Strong who signed for Bowles. Also sent to Ankara, Tel Aviv, and London and repeated to Cairo, Beirut, Baghdad, Jidda, Paris, Rome, Damascus, Jerusalem, and USUN.
112. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 325.84/9–2961. Confidential; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Crawford (NEA/NE) on October 5.
113. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Jordan
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 786B.00/9–2961. Secret; Niact; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Strong, cleared by Collopy (S/S), and approved by Talbot who initialed for Bowles. Repeated to Ankara, Tel Aviv, London, Cairo, Beirut, Baghdad, Jidda, Paris, Rome, Damascus, Jerusalem,USUN for the Mission and the Secretary, Athens, Rabat, Tripoli, Khartoum, Tunis, Algiers, Tangier, Casablanca, Bonn, Moscow, Karachi, and New Delhi.
114. Memorandum From the Department of State Executive Secretary (Battle) to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 783.00/9–3061. Confidential. Drafted by Barrow (NEA/NE) and cleared by Talbot.
115. Memorandum From Robert W. Komer of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Special Assistant and Deputy Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy and Rostow)
Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Country Series, Syria, 1/61–9/61. Secret.
116. Telegram From the Embassy in Jordan to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 786B.00/10–161. Secret; Priority; Limit Distribution. Repeated to Ankara, Baghdad, Beirut, Cairo, Damascus, Jerusalem, Jidda, London, Tel Aviv, and USUN for the Mission and the Secretary.
117. Circular Telegram From the Department of State to Certain Near Eastern and European Posts
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 786B.00/10–261. Secret; Priority. Drafted by Barrow, cleared in draft by Hewitt and Strong, and approved by Talbot who initialed for Rusk. Sent to Bonn, London, Cairo, Jidda, Baghdad, Tripoli, Benghazi, Rabat, Tunis, Khartoum, Amman, Paris, Rome, Damascus, Ankara, and Beirut.
118. Circular Telegram From the Department of State to Certain Near Eastern Posts
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 786B.00/10–361. Secret; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Meyer, cleared by Strong, and approved by Meyer; Talbot initialed for Rusk. Sent to Ankara, Amman, Beirut, Baghdad, and Tel Aviv and repeated to Cairo, London, Damascus, and Paris.
119. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the United Arab Republic
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 786B.11/10–361. Secret; Niact; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Barrow, cleared by McGeorge Bundy at the White House and by Collopy (S/S), and approved and signed by Rusk.
120. Telegram From the Embassy in Jordan to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 786B.00/10–461. Secret; Niact; Limit Distribution. Repeated to Ankara, Baghdad, Beirut, Cairo, Damascus, Jerusalem, Jidda, London, and Tel Aviv. Relayed to JCS,OSD, Army, Navy, Air Force, White House, and CIA. The source text indicates that Strong was informed on October 4.