Office of the Historian

296. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Saudi Arabia1

Washington, June 21, 1967, 8:36 p.m.

214082. Jidda 5496.2

1.
In addition general guidance you have re current US posture in Near East crisis (e.g. State 212576),3 you authorized make following points when you see King Faisal June 22:
a.
The President deeply appreciates His Majesty’s thoughtful letter of June 12 which was most timely in connection with continuing problems growing out of recent Arab-Israel hostilities to which he is devoting so much of his attention. Views expressed are being given careful consideration.
b.
As indicated in President’s June 19 address,4 USG feels strongly situation cannot merely be permitted return to unsatisfactory state which prevailed before fighting began. We recognize that troops must be withdrawn but believe other steps must also be taken to assure that territorial integrity and political independence of all states of the Near East receive greater recognition than heretofore.
c.
In this connection, you may wish to remind His Majesty that USG has at various times supported territorial integrity one or another Arab state against one of its Arab brethren. Our position on this question has been of longstanding and without discrimination as between Israel and the Arabs. His Majesty will recall in this connection special efforts we made in 1957 in connection resolution Suez crisis.
d.
At the same time, Arabs should be under no misapprehension as to degree of influence which we able exercise over Israel. Fact of the matter is that all parties will have to approach current problems in spirit of some give and take to permit any significant progress on solving outstanding issues.
e.
Highest levels USG deeply gratified by His Majesty’s forthright statements to members diplomatic corps in Jidda June 19 as reported your 5467.5 Faisal’s obvious disbelief of totally false charges which have [Page 566] been directed against us, alleging USG complicity with Israel in recent fighting, is most heartening. His Majesty’s courage and frankness in denouncing this canard should be most helpful in introducing greater note realism into assessment recent events.
f.
We continue to be gratified at maintenance of cordial SAG-USG relations and hope that by keeping in close contact during coming difficult period it will be possible make real contribution to resolution some of present difficulties.
2.
If conversation permits, you may wish raise Yemen problem in effort determine Faisal’s current thinking. There have been indications Lebanese and possibly Tunisian contacts with view working out some compromise between Egyptians and Saudis but we unclear to what extent these may have factual basis. This connection, we endorse line you took with Iranian Ambassador (Jidda 5319),6 counseling restraint on use force to expedite Egyptian withdrawal as long as it appears such action likely prompt brutal UAR military response on Saudi Arabia. Suggest you ask him how he sees Yemen problem affected by recent Arab-Israel developments.
3.
Should South Arabia come up, you should also probe King’s current views re outlook for peaceful transfer power there in light recent Egyptian military reverses in Sinai. For our part, we continue to be disturbed by deteriorating security situation. Recent British decision extend additional support to present government should be most helpful, but in our view the outlook still highly uncertain.
Katzenbach
  1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967-69, POL 15-1 SAUD. Secret; Immediate. Drafted by Brewer, cleared by Davies and McGeorge Bundy, and approved by Katzenbach. Repeated to USUN.↩
  2. In telegram 5496 from Jidda, June 21, Eilts reported that he was seeing Faisal the next day and asked if there were any special instructions. (Ibid., POL 27 ARAB-ISR)↩
  3. Dated June 19. (Ibid.)↩
  4. For text of the President’s speech, see Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1967, Book I, pp. 630-634.↩
  5. Dated June 20. (National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967-69, POL 15-1 SAUD)↩
  6. Dated June 14. (Ibid., POL 27 ARAB-ISR)↩