Office of the Historian

33. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rusk to President Kennedy0

Washington, April 14, 1961.

SUBJECT

  • King Saud’s Personal Greetings and Suggested Reply

During my brief stopover at Dhahran when returning from the SEATO Conference,1 I was greeted by His Highness Prince Muhammad ibn Saud, King Saud’s son and Saudi Arabian Minister of Defense and Aviation, who extended the King’s personal greetings to you. The Prince had traveled some 60 miles to Dhahran to carry out his mission. It is believed that a reply from you to King Saud would be appropriate and a suggested message is enclosed.2 Such a message might be sent to the King through the American Embassy at Jidda.

A reply from you to King Saud affords a convenient opportunity to indicate in general terms United States readiness to be helpful to Saudi Arabia in developing arrangements to maintain the high level of operational efficiency at the Dhahran Airfield after the expiration of the Dhahran Airfield Agreement in April, 1962, if the Saudi Arabian Government should desire such further help. There have been intimations that a change of government may be in the offing in Saudi Arabia sometime after the pilgrimage (May 24). This uncertain internal situation may cause the King to conclude that it is inappropriate to respond immediately to any such offer by us. We know, however, that some of the more responsible Saudi Arabian authorities are concerned that they will not be able to operate the Dhahran Airfield alone. We believe, therefore, that the Saudi Arabian Government will in due course be receptive to such an expression of continued United States willingness to assist it at Dhahran. The Department of Defense states that a logistic requirement for Dhahran or, alternatively, some other suitable Middle East site will [Page 83] continue after April, 1962. Our hope is that in the context of some type of private civilian operation of the Dhahran Airfield which the Saudi Arabian Government may find technically desirable and politically acceptable, continued United States Military Air Transport Service and minimal mission support-type activities at Dhahran might informally be worked out.

Dean Rusk3
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 786A.11/4–1461. No classification marking. The source text bears no drafting information. Attached to an April 14 memorandum from Jones to Rusk that recommended that the memorandum be forwarded to the President.↩
  2. Secretary Rusk attended the seventh meeting of the SEATO Ministerial Council in Bangkok March 26–30.↩
  3. The White House approved the text of the attached letter, which was transmitted to the Embassy in Jidda for delivery on April 24. (Telegram 415 to Jidda; Department of State, Central Files, 611.86A/4–2461) The letter indicated in part that the United States respected Saudi Arabia’s decision regarding the Dhahran Airbase and expressed a willingness to consider any Saudi request to develop suitable arrangements to maintain the current high-level of operational efficiency at the airfield. See Supplement, the compilation on Saudi Arabia.↩
  4. Printed from a copy that indicates Rusk signed the original.↩