Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume XVII, Near East, 1961–1962

107. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs (Talbot) to Acting Secretary of State Bowles⁰

Washington, September 11, 1961.

SUBJECT

• Recommendation Regarding Visit by President Nasser

Discussion:

You have raised the question in regard to Mr. Johnson’s memorandum of August 17, 1961 (Tab A)¹ as to what should be done regarding an invitation to President Nasser if he should decide to come to the United Nations General Assembly this fall.

While we have as yet no information on whether or not he will come to the UNGA, the President has made it clear (National Security Action Memorandum No. 84, Tab B)² that he would want to see Nasser here in Washington. This, of course, coincides fully with our own view that the President should meet with Nasser if the latter were indeed to come to New York.

At the same time we believe such a meeting should not be considered a substitute for a more formal and complete visit to this country by the UAR President. We feel certain that Nasser himself, in spite of his brief stay in New York last fall, would like very much to enjoy the prestige and opportunity for contact with American leaders which a longer visit would permit. Practically every other world figure of comparable stature has been invited at one time or another to be an official guest of the United States. A visit would represent an appropriate evolution in the present relatively favorable atmosphere of our relations with the UAR.

However, the matter of timing is important and, if properly handled, we believe the prospect of the visit, as well as the visit itself, can obtain for us some political advantage. The following method of handling a Nasser visit is suggested:

1. When it becomes apparent that Nasser is not coming to the General Assembly, we should authorize Ambassador Badeau to make a general reference at an appropriate time and in the course of some other discussion with the UAR President to President Kennedy’s hope that it may be possible for Nasser some time to visit the United States. Such an indication of our intention to issue an invitation would tend to encourage continuance of the present favorable atmosphere in US–UAR relations.

2. If the present atmosphere in US–UAR relations continues to prevail, we would suggest about the first of March that Ambassador Badeau be authorized to convey a firm invitation for President Nasser to come to this country as a guest of the President for about two weeks³ to arrive here about the first week in June. Other dates more convenient to you and the President might be equally satisfactory to Nasser. However, it might be preferable to have the Nasser visit occur before commencement of the 1962 election campaign.

3. Prior to issuing the invitation, appropriate officers at the White House or in the Department would approach leading figures among groups in this country friendly to Israel with an explanation of the intent and purposes of the Nasser visit to seek their cooperation.

Recommendation:

That you approve in principle the above method of handling the visit, for each step of which your specific advance approval would be sought.⁴

0. 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.
1. In this memorandum to Secretary Rusk, August 17, Deputy Under Secretary for Political Affairs Johnson pointed out that the principal objection to inviting Nasser at this point to visit the United States during 1962 was the long lead time, because the world situation or Nasser’s behavior might change during the interim. A handwritten notation by Rusk on this memorandum reads: “Agree. DR. But if he comes to UN?” (Ibid.) On August 31, Johnson replied to Rusk that if Nasser attended the U.N. General Assembly session he should be treated in a manner similar to that being given to other chiefs of state and heads of government attending the session, that is, that he be invited for a meeting with the President either in Washington or New York. (Ibid., 786B.11/8–3161)
2. NSAM No. 84 is a memorandum from President Kennedy to Bundy, August 28, regarding “Specific State Visits.” The first sentence of the memorandum that deals with six different visits reads: “It seems to me that if Nasser comes to the General Assembly that he should be invited to Washington to have lunch with me.”
3. An asterisk in the source text refers to the following handwritten concurrence from Samuel L. King in the office of the Chief of Protocol: “If invited for State Visit, should be for 10 days incl 3 in Washington”.
4. Bowles initialed his approval of the recommendation on September 20. On September 25, Ambassador Badeau reported that, according to Ali Sabri, Nasser had no plans to visit the U.N. General Assembly in the fall because the situation was so confused that Nasser did not feel that he could make a contribution. Badeau recommended that an invitation be issued to Nasser now to visit the United States in the spring. (Department of State, Central Files, 786B.11/9–2561)