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

337. National Security Action Memorandum No. 262⁰

Washington, October 10, 1963.

MEMORANDUM FOR

• The Secretary of State
• The Secretary of Defense

SUBJECT

• Yemen Disengagement

The President, after reviewing the recent traffic on Yemen, believes that our best course is to continue pressing disengagement and keep UNYOM as a buffer between the UAR and Saudi Arabia, while working behind the scenes to promote some form of Yemen compromise regime.

Therefore, he desires that we: (1) use whatever persuasion or other leverage we can on the UN, UAR, Saudis, and Canadians to keep UNYOM operating effectively; (2) continue pressing the UAR to expedite troop withdrawals and the Saudis not to resume covert support of the Royalists; and (3) keep our air squadron in Saudi Arabia a while longer, so long as the Saudis continue adhering to the disengagement agreement.

McGeorge Bundy

0. Source: Department of State, S/S-NSC Files: Lot 72 D 316, NSAM 262. Secret. A memorandum from Komer to Bundy, October 10, indicates in part: “To prod State et al into moving, I’ve done a NSAM based on my Yemen memo which JFK approved (attached) [Document 334].” (Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Meetings and Memoranda Series, NSAM 262)