Office of the Historian

275. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the United Arab Republic0

Washington, June 15, 1963, 5:25 p.m.

3479. Eyes only Cane for Ambassador. Please deliver following letter from President to Nasser and advise date and time of delivery:

“Dear President Nasser:

I have received your letter of June 71 and read it with interest. I welcome the frankness with which you expressed your views therein. As you so rightly suggest, only of such frankness is better understanding of our common problems developed. I shall continue to be no less frank in setting forth the concerns of my Government.

First of all, Mr. President, let me express my personal gratification that, as a result of the Security Council action of June 11, U.N. observers are now on their way to Yemen. Disengagement can now begin in earnest. The constructive role of your U.N. delegation and your Embassy in Washington in helping to make this possible has been most useful. I can see no real alternative to all parties working to make this disengagement a success.

Second, in considering the spectrum of the problems which we both face, I am persuaded that none is more important than that of the continuing arms race in the Near East. Recently, each passing year has seen more advanced weapons introduced into the area. Unless checked, even nuclear weapons may be a possibility in the not too distant future. As I indicated in my letter of May 27, I believe it would be useful to send a trusted associate to explore with you what we might jointly do to arrest the dangerous spiral of the arms race.

I have been heartened to hear from Ambassador Badeau that you would welcome the visit of such a personal representative, and have asked Mr. John J. McCloy to speak for me in this matter. One of America’s most distinguished citizens, Mr. McCloy has a long record of public service and unmatched experience in the arms control sphere. He has my full confidence. I understand that it would be convenient for you to receive Mr. McCloy between June 26 and June 29 and I will ask him to visit Cairo at that time.

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Mr. McCloy will be accompanied by two officials of the Department of State to assist him. I hope you will agree that in order to insure their effectiveness these talks be held in strict secrecy and without any publicity.

Sincerely, John F. Kennedy”

Rusk
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 15–1 UAR. Secret; Operational Immediate. Drafted by Eilts; cleared by Grant, Lloyd, and McGeorge Bundy (in draft); and approved by Talbot.↩
  2. See Document 266.↩