263. Memorandum of a Conversation, White House, Washington, February 1, 1957, 3:30 p.m.1
SUBJECTS
- 1. His Majesty’s Memorandum of January 30—Suggested Program for US-Saudi Substantive Meetings
- 2. The President’s Suggestions for the Remainder of His Majesty’s Visit
PARTICIPANTS
- Saudi Arabia
- His Majesty King Saud
- Prince Musaad
- Prince Fahd
- Shaikh Yusuf Yassin
- Jamal Bey Al-Hussaini
- Others
- United States
- President Eisenhower
- Secretary Dulles
- Mr. Hoover
- Mr. Herter
- Mr. Rountree
- Ambassador Wadsworth
- Ambassador Richards
- Others
INTERPRETERS
- William A. Stoltzfus
- Elie Nowfel
- Abdul Aziz Majid
1. His Majesty’s Memorandum of January 30—Suggested Program for US-Saudi Substantive Meetings.
The President asked His Majesty’s permission to begin the meeting by having the Secretary review the progress of the meetings so far.
His Majesty gave his assent.
The Secretary began by saying that following the meeting between His Majesty and the President two days ago, His Majesty had submitted a memorandum. This memorandum was before the President now.
The Secretary said that the memorandum had been studied intensively and then had been the subject of meetings between himself and his advisors. These sessions had been followed by a meeting with His Majesty at the President’s Guest House during which the Secretary had reviewed the memorandum paragraph by paragraph with His Majesty and his Counselors. This review has led to a useful exchange of views between His Majesty and the Secretary on several of the issues raised in the memorandum.
During the meeting it has been agreed that groups would be established representing His Majesty’s Counselors and military advisors for the Saudi side and a corresponding group of military experts to be selected from the American side. These groups were to meet to discuss the military requirements of the Government of Saudi Arabia as stated in Section Two of the memorandum. The Secretary proposed that these groups begin their work tomorrow morning (February 2).
The Secretary said that the memorandum also contained suggestions with respect to long-term economic projects for Saudi Arabia. It was the view of the United States that projects of that sort might best be dealt with on a commercial basis by the World Bank or, if the project involved American companies, by the Export-Import Bank. But in any event the whole matter would be the subject of study between His Majesty’s Counselors and American experts, including the World Economic Council.
The Secretary suggested that discussions of these economic projects be commenced on Monday.2
[Page 447]The Secretary also said that his talk with His Majesty had revealed some difference in their respective appreciation of the dangers of international Communism in certain Arab countries, and that His Majesty had felt that most of the things that concerned the United States with regard to Communism in the Middle East were, in fact, manifestations of Arab nationalism.
The Secretary said that he had suggested to His Majesty that it might be useful for Mr. Allen Dulles to have a talk with His Majesty, and that His Majesty had graciously accepted. This talk could perhaps be held on Sunday morning (February 3).
The Secretary said that one of the important features of the memorandum was a statement dealing with the meetings recently held between His Majesty, King Hussein, President Nasser, and Syrian Prime Minister Sabri al-Asali. Those discussions dealt with the United States program for the Middle East which the President presented to Congress on January 5.
The Secretary added that in view of the fact that the Four-Power memorandum raised questions which no doubt should be answered in writing, as was, indeed, requested by His Majesty, the United States would submit its answer in the form of a written memorandum instead of verbally.
The Secretary said he believed it would be possible to clarify the President’s Middle East program so as to meet the points mentioned in the Four-Power memorandum.
The Secretary then reiterated his belief that his meeting with His Majesty had produced a very useful exchange of views on a number of the subjects contained in His Majesty’s memorandum.
The Secretary concluded by saying that he thought both sides might now await the results of the talks to be held in the next few days, particularly regarding military matters. That was probably the next important step.
2. The President’s Suggestions for the Remainder of His Majesty’s Visit.
The President said that with His Majesty’s permission he would like to make a few suggestions for the next few days of His Majesty’s stay in the United States.
The President said that he wanted to say first that it was a source of great satisfaction to him to note the wide basis of friendliness that underlay all his talks with His Majesty. He said that he agreed with the Secretary that the Counselors and the staff of both sides should meet together and begin their substantive work. The President added that it was his understanding that His Majesty would be going to White Sulphur Springs while these talks were in progress. He felt, however, that these discussions would perhaps [Page 448] take a few days and that His Majesty and he might want to have another talk after that.
The President said that he therefore wished to suggest that His Majesty and he meet at the White House a week from today (February 8) in the morning. If it were found that the discussions had terminated earlier, or His Majesty were to find that he preferred to have the meeting earlier, the President would be ready.
The President said he thought that the customary communiqué for the press should not be issued until after the final meeting. The President said he realized that press representatives would be pressing His Majesty and himself for news of the progress of the talks and he therefore suggested that His Majesty’s Press Officer release a general statement soon about the developments to date and the program ahead.
The President said that he had no further suggestions to make but that he would be pleased to hear what His Majesty might wish to say at this time.
His Majesty said that he agreed with the President’s suggestions. He said he wished to say further that if it were necessary for him to go to a hotel in Washington to be near where the talks were taking place, he would be ready to do so.
The President said that His Majesty and his Counselors might wish to discuss this among themselves. He would be delighted to have His Majesty stay anywhere he wished.
His Majesty replied that he thought it advisable to stay nearby the President as he wished to be on the spot during these important meetings.
The President said that he was going to be away from Washington for 36 hours over the week-end but that he was returning Monday and would stay in Washington for the rest of the week.
His Majesty said he would like to sum up by expressing his agreement with the presentation by the Secretary of what had taken place in the meetings to date and his agreement with the suggested program for the future. He asked God’s help in bringing success to the work ahead.
His Majesty said there was nothing more to add except to refer to the subject he had raised in his private meeting with the President.3 It was a subject in which he was most interested.
[Page 449]The President said that he also was most interested in this matter and would take it up soon with the Secretary of State.
The President congratulated His Majesty on the shortness of the present meeting which thus gave him some extra time to himself during these busy days.
His Majesty replied that he took such pleasure in his association with the President that he no longer felt tired.
- Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, International File. Confidential. Drafted by Stoltzfus. A copy is also ibid., Central Files, 786A.5–MSP/2–257.↩
- February 4.↩
- The President and the King met briefly in private prior to the meeting here recorded; the subject of discussion was the problem of the Gaza Strip. A memorandum of the conversation is in Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, International File.↩