Office of the Historian

Arab-Israeli Dispute, January 1977– August 1978

1. Presidential Review Memorandum/NSC 3

Washington, January 21, 1977

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East File, Subject File, Box 6, Boycott: 1/77. Secret.

2. Memorandum of Conversation

Washington, January 31, 1977, 2:30–3:00 p.m.

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East File, Chron File, Box 130, Quandt: 1/77. Secret. The meeting took place in Brzezinski’s office.

3. Minutes of a Policy Review Committee Meeting

Washington, February 4, 1977, 3:05–4:09 p.m.

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East File, Subject File, Box 66, Middle East: Peace Negotiations 1977 Volume I [IV]. Secret; Sensitive. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room.

4. Memorandum of Conversation

Washington, February 5, 1977

Source: Department of State, Office of the Secretariat Staff, Records of Cyrus Vance, Secretary of State, 1977–1980, Lot 84D241, Box 10, Vance Exdis Memcons, 1977. Secret; Exdis. Drafted by Walter B. Smith (NEA) and approved in S. The meeting took place at the Department of State.

5. Memorandum From Acting Director of Central Intelligence Knoche to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)

Washington, February 8, 1977

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East File, Chron File, Box 130, Quandt: 2/4–9/77. Secret; Sensitive.

6. Memorandum of Conversation

Jerusalem, February 16, 1977, 10:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Office of the Secretariat Staff, Records of Cyrus Vance, Secretary of State, 1977–1980, Lot 84D241, Box 10, Vance Nodis Memcons 1977. No classification marking. Approved in S. The meeting took place in Allon’s office in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The memorandum of conversation contains a number of handwritten revisions. Vance arrived in Jerusalem the evening of February 15, then traveled to Cairo, Beirut, Amman, Riyadh, and Damascus before returning to the United States on February 21.

7. Memorandum of Conversation

Jerusalem, February 16, 1977, 12:30 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Office of the Secretariat Staff, Records of Cyrus Vance, Secretary of State, 1977–1980, Lot 84D241, Box 10, Vance Nodis Memcons, 1977. No classification marking. Approved in S. The meeting took place in the Prime Minister’s Office. The memorandum of conversation contains a number of handwritten revisions.

8. Telegram From Secretary of State Vance to the Department of State

Jerusalem, February 17, 1977, 0101Z

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East File, Trips/Visits File, Box 102, 2/14–21/77 Vance Trip to the Middle East: Briefing Book: Vol. II [I], 2/77. Secret; Niact Immediate; Nodis; Cherokee. Drafted by Saunders. Cleared by Atherton, Habib (who did not initial the telegram), and Tarnoff and approved by Vance.

9. Memorandum of Conversation

Cairo, February 17, 1977, 12:30–2:30 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Office of the Secretariat Staff, Records of Cyrus Vance, Secretary of State, 1977–1980, Lot 84D241, Box 10, Vance Exdis Memcons, 1977. Secret; Nodis. Drafted by Lowrie. The meeting took place in the Foreign Minister’s office.

10. Memorandum of Conversation

Cairo, February 17, 1977, 7–8:45 p.m.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P850128–2040. Secret; Nodis. The meeting took place at Sadat’s Presidential home called the Barrages.

11. Telegram From Secretary of State Vance to the Department of State

Cairo, February 17, 1977, 2356Z

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P840072–1137. Secret; Niact Immediate; Nodis; Cherokee.

12. Telegram From the Embassy in Jordan to the Liaison Office in Riyadh

Amman, February 19, 1977, 1743Z

Source: Department of State, Office of the Secretariat Staff, Records of Cyrus Vance, Secretary of State, 1977–1980, Lot 84D241, Box 10, Vance Exdis Memcons, 1977. Secret; Immediate; Nodis.

13. Telegram From the Embassy in Lebanon to the Liaison Office in Riyadh

Beirut, February 19, 1977, 0815Z

Source: Department of State, Office of the Secretariat Staff, Records of Cyrus Vance, Secretary of State, 1977–1980, Lot 84D241, Box 10, Vance Exdis Memcons, 1977. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Also sent immediate for information to the Department of State.

14. Memorandum of Conversation

Damascus, February 20, 1977, 3:30 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Office of the Secretariat Staff, Records of Cyrus Vance, Secretary of State, 1977–1980, Lot 84D241, Box 10, Vance Exdis Memcons, 1977. Secret; Nodis. Drafted by Robert H. Pelletreau. The meeting took place in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

15. Memorandum of Conversation

Damascus, February 20, 1977

Source: Department of State, Office of the Secretariat Staff, Records of Cyrus Vance, Secretary of State, 1977–1980, Lot 84D241, Box 10, Vance Exdis Memcons, 1977. Secret; Nodis. Drafted by Robert Pelletreau on February 21 and approved in S on June 23. A typed notation in the upper left-hand corner of the page reads “Draft.” The meeting took place at the Presidency.

16. Minutes of a National Security Council Meeting

Washington, February 23, 1977, 9–9:35 a.m.

Source: Carter Library, National Security Council, Institutional Files, Box 55, NSC–003, 02/23/77, Middle East, Result of Sec. Vance Trip. Secret; Sensitive. The meeting took place in the White House Cabinet Room. All brackets are in the original. Brzezinski sent Carter an undated memorandum under cover of which was the Summary of Conclusions of the NSC meeting. Carter indicated his approval of the Summary of Conclusions on Brzezinski’s memorandum. (Ibid.)

17. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter

Washington, February 23, 1977

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East File, Subject File, Box 66, Middle East: Peace Negotiations 1977 Vol. I [IV]. Secret.

18. Memorandum of Conversation

Washington, March 7, 1977, 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East File, Subject File, Box 66, Middle East: Peace Negotiations 1977 Vol. I [I]. Top Secret. The meeting took place in the White House Cabinet Room. Brackets are in the original. Rabin paid an official working visit to the United States from March 6 to 9.

19. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter

Washington, March 7, 1977

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East File, Trips/Visits File, Box 103, 3/7–8/77 Visit of Prime Minister Rabin of Israel: 3/3/77–4/77. No classification marking. Brzezinski did not initial the memorandum.

20. Memorandum of Conversation

Washington, March 8, 1977, 10:35–11:30 a.m.

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East File, Subject File, Box 66, Middle East: Peace Negotiations 1977 Volume I [I]. Top Secret; Sensitive. The meeting took place in the White House Cabinet Room.

21. Memorandum of Conversation

Washington, March 9, 1977, 6:45 p.m.

Source: Department of State, Office of the Secretariat Staff, Records of Cyrus Vance, Secretary of State, 1977–1980, Lot 84D241, Box 10, Vance Exdis Memcons, 1977. Confidential; Exdis. The meeting took place in the Secretary of State’s office. Drafted by Xenia Vunovic on March 14, and approved in S on March 25.

22. Letter from President Carter to King Hussein of Jordan

Washington, March 10, 1977

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East File, Subject File, Box 55, Jordan: 1–4/77. No classification marking.

24. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Syria

Washington, March 29, 1977, 0145Z

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P840076–0291. Confidential; Immediate; Nodis. Drafted in the White House, cleared by P. Sebastian (S/S) and E. Abington (NEA), and approved by Atherton. A March 23 memorandum from Brzezinski to Quandt stated that the Embassy in Tehran reported that Asad had asked the Shah of Iran to “help bring Syria and the U.S. closer together.” The Shah reportedly encouraged Asad to avoid intermediaries and speak directly with U.S. officials. Brzezinski wrote that Carter had noted Asad’s move and believed that “we should take the initiative in this matter.” (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East File, Trips/Visits File, Box 104, 5/9/77 President Meeting with President Asad of Syria: 2–6/77)

25. Memorandum of Conversation

Washington, April 4, 1977, 11:10 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East File, Subject File, Box 66, Peace Negotiations 1977 Vol. I [I]. Top Secret; Sensitive. The meeting took place in the White House Cabinet Room. Sadat was in the United States on an official visit from April 3 to April 6.

26. Memorandum of Conversation

Washington, April 4, 1977, 1–2:45 p.m.

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East File, Trips/Visits File, Box 103, 4/4–5/77 Visit of President Sadat of Egypt: 3/30/77–4/5/77. Secret; Nodis. Drafted by Nicholas Veliotes on April 8 and approved in S on April 18. The meeting took place in the James Madison Room at the Department of State.

27. Memorandum of Conversation

Washington, April 5, 1977, 10:45–11:45 a.m.

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East File, Trips/Visits File, Box 109, 2/3–4/78 Visit of President Sadat of Egypt: Briefing Book [II], 2/78. Top Secret; Sensitive. The meeting took place in the White House Cabinet Room.

28. Minutes of a Policy Review Committee Meeting

Washington, April 19, 1977, 3:00–4:30 p.m.

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East File, Subject File, Box 66, Peace Negotiations 1977 Vol. I [IV]. Top Secret; Sensitive. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room. Brackets are in the original.

29. Memorandum of Conversation

Washington, April 22, 1977, 11:35 a.m.–12:20 p.m.

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East File, Subject File, Box 66, Peace Negotiations 1977 Vol. I [I]. Secret; Sensitive. The meeting took place in the White House Cabinet Room. Brackets are in the original.

30. Memorandum of Conversation

Washington, April 25, 1977, 11:05 a.m.–12:15 p.m.

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East File, Subject File, Box 66, Peace Negotiations 1977 Vol. I [I]. Top Secret; Sensitive. The meeting took place in the White House Cabinet Room. Hussein visited the United States April 24–27.