Office of the Historian

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

Washington, October 5, 1962, 4:13 p.m.

363. Deptel 355.1 View further news reports Egyptian troop movement to Red Sea, you should immediately approach senior UARG official [Page 168] stating USG as matter general policy endeavoring discourage external military intervention in Yemen and consequently would consider it most regrettable if UAR troops entered Yemen territory. USG continues believe internal situation Yemen should be resolved on basis desires Yemenis themselves.

If UAR should ask whether and in which specific countries US has made parallel representations, you should decline comment on grounds we not informing others in specific terms of our approach in Cairo.2

Ball
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 786H.5486B10-562. Secret; Niact; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Barrow, cleared by Killgore, and approved by Talbot. Repeated to Amman, Jidda, and London.↩
  2. Dated October 4. (Ibid., 786H.5486B/10-462)↩
  3. Badeau reported in telegram 583 from Cairo, October 6, that when he conveyed these comments to Vice President Sadat, Sadat agreed in principle that external military intervention in Yemen would be unwise, but also noted that Saudi military personnel had crossed the borders into the northern and eastern portions of Yemen. Sadat also conveyed a question from Nasser as to whether the United States was encouraging King Hussein of Jordan to become involved on the Imamate side in Yemen. Badeau categorically denied U.S. involvement, reaffirming U.S. opposition to all external aggression. (Ibid., 786H.5486B/10-662)↩