Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume XXIV, Middle East Region and Arabian Peninsula, 1969–1972; Jordan, September 1970

195. Telegram From the Embassy in Saudi Arabia to the Department of State¹

Jidda, September 17, 1972, 1423Z.

3018. Subj: Sultan again Discusses F–86’s to Yemen. Ref: A. Jidda 2749, B. State 144097.²

Summary: Prince Sultan again seeks our views on transferral of Saudis F-86’s to YAR. Embassy recommends we inform Prince we do not believe transfer such aircraft militarily advisable. End summary.

1. At conclusion of Chargé’s meeting with Prince Sultan Sept 17 (see septel) latter asked Chargé if Emb had received response to Sultan’s earlier request for approval, per ref (A), to train Yemenis on F–86’s at Dhahran preparatory to giving planes to Yemen.³ Chargé replied that no reaction had been received from Dept but that he would inform Sultan as soon as he had word. Sultan expressed hope that reply could be made to him in Riyadh toward end of month.

2. Comment: With arrival of first F–5B’s imminent, matter of F–86’s once more becoming prominent concern of Sultan’s. Recommend therefore that Chargé be authorized, in future meeting with Sultan, to inform him DOD/State consider plan proposed by Sultan in Aug 22 meeting inadvisable militarily. Chargé could refer once again to Ambassador Thacher’s points that F–86’s are old planes and that Yemenis are not trained in their operation. Chargé could further point out USG reluctance, conveyed to Sultan on other occasions to get involved in any way militarily in struggle between Sanaa and Aden. Chargé could expand remarks to emphasize once more USG believes most important contribution SAG and USG could jointly make to YAR would be in economic development fields. He could conclude that, in any case, delivery of F–86’s to YAR could conceivably provoke PDRY and could lead to just kind of escalating tension USG hopes avoid.

3. Embassy believes on balance it better to present case against F–86’s on basis military/political considerations than attempt come up with barrier of legal technicalities.⁴

Horan

1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1287, Saunders Files, Saudi Arabia. Secret; Exdis. It was repeated to Sanaa and Tehran.
2. Telegram 2749 from Jidda, August 23, reported that, during an August 22 meeting with Thacher, Sultan pleaded for the United States to directly assist Yemen in securing aircraft, especially F–86s. Thacher had explained that military aircraft were not considered among “excess items available for transfer,” and that the F–86s were unsuitable for Yemen. Sultan asked that his views be passed to Laird. (Ibid., Box 630, Country Files, Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Vol. III) Telegram 144097 to Sanaa, Jidda, and Tehran, August 9, had laid out guidelines for the transfer of equipment among Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Yemen. (Ibid., RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, AID (IRAN) YEMEN)
3. Not further identified.
4. The legal technicalities were laid out in telegram 160496 to Sanaa, September 1. (National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 641, Country Files, Middle East, Yemen, Vol. I)