Office of the Historian

53. Memorandum From Harold Saunders of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)1

Washington, June 10, 1969.

SUBJECT

  • Sisco–Dobrynin Meeting, June 9

The Soviets have not completed their reply to our paper,2 but Monday’s Sisco–Dobrynin meeting3 confirmed that the Soviets are having serious talks with the Egyptians about it.

Dobrynin said that the UAR has made a devastating critique of our proposals. The Soviets are, however, still in the middle of intensive discussions with the Arabs, with Gromyko, Semenov—Sisco’s Soviet equivalent—and Semyushchin—who was here helping Dobrynin—arriving in Cairo on Tuesday. Dobrynin hoped he could give us the Soviet response by the end of June or perhaps even by June 20.

There was a general discussion of the four power talks in New York in the course of which Dobrynin said that Moscow is interested in a joint communiqué if the text is good but otherwise sees no need for it. Apparently they don’t regard it as vital to their talks with the UAR. Dobrynin asked if the US is interested in a recess after the communiqué is issued, but Sisco gave him a non-committal answer.

Sisco briefed Dobrynin in general terms on the Israeli and Jordanian reaction to the peace efforts.

  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 653, Country Files, Middle East, Sisco Middle East Talks, April–June 1969. Secret; Nodis.↩
  2. Reference is to “A Preliminary Document Which it is Suggested Be Used By The Governments of Israel and the UAR Under Ambassador Jarring’s Auspices as a Basis for Concluding a Final Binding Accord Between Them on a Just and Lasting Peace in Accordance with Security Council Resolution of November 22, 1967,” which Sisco advanced in installments beginning May 6 in talks with Dobrynin. (National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 711, Country Files, Europe, USSR, Vol. VI) Printed in Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, volume XXIII, Arab-Israeli Dispute, 1969–1972.↩
  3. In telegram 93698 to Moscow, June 10, the Department provided a summary of the Sisco–Dobrynin meeting of June 9. (National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 653, Country Files, Middle East, Sisco Middle East Talks, April–June 1969)↩