Office of the Historian

104. Memorandum From Robert W. Komer of the National Security Council Staff to President Kennedy0

Washington, November 28, 1962.

After a bit of arm-twisting, we’ve gotten a very responsive reply from Cairo to our Yemen disengagement/recognition package.

The UAR came up initially with a highly-slanted propaganda document. Buried in the middle was a grudging semi-compliance with the proposals in your letter of 16 November. We went back at them strong on the assumption this was an oriental bargaining tactic, and they bought almost completely the counter draft we prepared (Cairo 783 attached).1 With one change to remove explicit reference to Saudi and Jordanian [Page 239] intervention, we find it acceptable. Our hunch is that Nasser is bleeding a bit from his extensive commitment in Yemen and is rather grateful for our offer to help close it out.

We now have to get a satisfactory YAR declaration. They will probably balk at the reference to Aden and the new Federation which we seek at UK request. Our fallback position is to propose instead that Yemen announce willingness to adhere to the 1934 treaty with UK which binds them to respect Aden’s sovereignty. Our recognition statement will then interpret this to mean precisely that. We are keeping the British fully informed.

Though the Saudis and Jordanians are still most unhappy, their lack of further efforts to change our minds suggests they realize the die is cast. Do not be surprised, however, if both recognize USSR as a means of being nasty to us (this foolish gesture won’t hurt us much).

If final UAR/YAR texts are satisfactory, we are then committed to recognize once they are issued (probably this weekend). We propose to go ahead along the above lines unless you object.

R. W. Komer2
  1. Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Yemen, 11/16/62–11/30/62. Secret.↩
  2. Telegram 783 from Cairo, November 28, transmitted the text of a UAR proposed statement on Yemen. (Department of State, Central Files, 786H.00/11–2862) In telegram 566 to Cairo, November 29, the Department of State instructed Badeau to seek additional changes in the statement from the UAR Government. (Ibid.)↩
  3. Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.↩