85. Letter from Secretary of State Kissinger to Israeli Prime Minister Meir1
Washington,
May 30,
1974.
Dear Madame Prime Minister:
This is to inform you that the assurances with respect to guerilla action from Syria conveyed to the Israeli Government2 have the following characteristics:
1. They were made to the Secretary of State by President Asad on the condition that there would be no publicity whatsoever.
2. President Asad emphasized that any publicity would force him to make a public statement contradicting the assurances and perhaps make it impossible for him to maintain them.
Best wishes,
Henry A.
Kissinger
- Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, CL 155, Geopolitical File, Israel, May 1974. No classification marking.↩
- These assurances were presented as a U.S. text provided to the Israeli Government. The text reads, “The position of the United States with respect to the first paragraph of the Agreement between Israel and Syria on Military Disengagement is as follows: Raids by armed groups or individuals across the demarcation line are contrary to the ceasefire. Israel in the exercise of its right of self-defense may act to prevent such actions by all available means. The United States will not consider such actions by Israel as violations of the ceasefire and will support them politically.” (National Archives, RG 59, Records of Joseph Sisco, Box 32, Briefing Book: Syrian-Israeli Disengagement Documents, Under Secretary Sisco)↩