Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, Near East: Jordan-Yemen, Volume XIII

398. Memorandum of Discussion at the 336th Meeting of the National Security Council, Washington, September 12, 1957¹

Washington, September 12, 1957

Present at the 336th NSC Meeting were the Vice President of the United States, presiding; the Secretary of State; the Secretary of Defense; and the Director, Office of Defense Mobilization. Also present were the Secretary of the Treasury; the Attorney General (participating in Items 2, 3 and 5); the Acting Secretary of Commerce (for Item 1); the Director, Bureau of the Budget; the Special Assistant to the President for Atomic Energy (attending for Items 1–5; participating in Item 2); the Director, International Cooperation Administration; the Federal Civil Defense Administrator (participating in Item 2); the Chairman, Council on Foreign Economic Policy (participating in Item 1); the Chairmen, Interdepartmental Intelligence Conference and Interdepartmental Committee on Internal Security (for Items 2 and 3); General Lyman L. Lemnitzer for the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff; the Deputy Secretary of Defense; the Counselor, Department of State; the Director of Central Intelligence; The Assistant to the President; the Deputy Assistant to the President (for Items 1–4); Robert Cutler, Special Assistant to the President; the NSC Representative on Internal Security (for Items 2 and 3); the White House Staff Secretary; the Executive Secretary, NSC; and the Deputy Executive Secretary, NSC.

There follows a summary of the discussion at the meeting and the main points taken.

[Here follow agenda items 1–3 pertaining to economic defense policy, Poland, and assistance to Yugoslav refugees.]

4. Significant World Developments Affecting U. S. Security

[Here follows the beginning of Director of Central Intelligence Dulles’ briefing: a discussion of the Soviet announcement of the successful launching of an intercontinental ballistic missile.]

Mr. Dulles then reminded the Council that the intelligence community had recently prepared a special estimate on the situation in Syria. He then proceeded to read the conclusions of SNIE 36.7–57 (“Developments in the Syrian Situation”).²

Mr. Dulles then summarized significant developments which had occurred since the completion of the above-mentioned estimate. With reference to a comment by Mr. Allen Dulles on the recent statement by Gromyko,³ Secretary Dulles intervened to point out that the statement had taken some two hours to deliver, and much of the text was not known in this country and had not been published. All the same, it constituted perhaps the bitterest attack ever made by a Soviet official on the United States.

. . . . . . .

The National Security Council:⁴

Noted and discussed an oral briefing by the Director of Central Intelligence on the subject, with specific reference to recent developments in the USSR ballistic missiles program, and with respect to the Syrian situation.

5. United States Objectives and Policies With Respect to the Near East (NSC 5428;⁵ NSC Actions Nos. 1629,⁶ 1753⁷ and 1771;⁸ Progress Report, dated August 7, 1957, by OCB on NSC 5428⁹)

After briefing the Council on the latest developments in the Near East, as set forth in the OCB Progress Report, Mr. Cutler said he understood that the Secretary of State wished to say something about one significant development in this area.

Secretary Dulles said that the earlier report by the Director of Central Intelligence on the situation in Syria indicated that there was a considerable hazard in the Middle East area which could involve another interruption of the flow of Middle Eastern oil to the Free World. The two pipelines that pass through Syria could be blown up, and Egypt might even make trouble again in the Suez Canal. The United Kingdom has indicated to us its concern about these possibilities, and the President had stated last Saturday that the State Department could advise the British that if new difficulties arose with respect to Middle Eastern oil, the United States could recreate the Middle East Emergency Committee. Secretary Dulles said he did not know whether this would require action by the National Security Council or action by the Attorney General.

Mr. Gordon Gray replied that we could promptly re-create the Middle East Emergency Committee if the legal basis for such action were sound. He would like the Attorney General’s opinion on this.

The Attorney General replied that he was satisfied as to the legal basis for such an action if the national interest required it and the President ordered it. He did, however, wish to point out the opposition which had existed in the Senate to the Middle East Emergency Committee.

Mr. Cutler asked Secretary Dulles whether the Record of Action of the Council meeting should note the possibility to which he had alluded. Secretary Dulles replied in the affirmative. The Attorney General asked Secretary Dulles whether he thought that this possibility of re-creating the Middle East Emergency Committee should be mentioned to the U.S. Senate. Secretary Dulles replied in the negative. The Attorney General then said he judged that no positive action by the Department of Justice was required yet. Secretary Dulles replied that no such action was desired at this time; he was only suggesting that we be in a position to act if it proved necessary.

In that case, said the Attorney General, it might be well to have a letter of justification sent to the Department of Justice.

The National Security Council:¹⁰

a. Noted the reference Progress Report on the subject by the Operations Coordinating Board.

b. Noted the statement by the Secretary of State that, in view of the possibility that another interruption of oil supplies from the Middle East might develop out of the Syrian situation, it would be prudent to be prepared to reconstitute the Middle East Emergency Committee if developments require.

Note: The action in b above, as approved by the President, subsequently transmitted to the Director, ODM.

[Here follow agenda items 6–8 relating to Iran, the Philippines, and military programs for FY 1958 and FY 1959.]

S. Everett Gleason

1. Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records. Top Secret; Eyes Only. Drafted by Gleason on September 13.
2. Document 383.
3. Reference is presumably to Gromyko’s remarks made during a press conference on September 10.
4. The following paragraph constitutes NSC Action No. 1783, approved by the President on September 16. (Department of State, S/S–NSC (Miscellaneous) Files: Lot 66 D 95, NSC Records of Action)
5. For text, see Foreign Relations, 1952–1954, vol. IX, p. 525.
6. NSC Action No. 1629 pertained to European oil supply and was taken at the 303d meeting of the National Security Council on November 8, 1956.
7. Taken at the 331st meeting of the National Security Council on July 18, 1957.
8. Taken at the 334th meeting of the National Security Council on August 8, 1957.
9. Not printed here.
10. Paragraphs a and b and the Note constitute NSC Action No. 1784. (Department of State, S/S–NSC (Miscellaneous) Files: Lot 66 D 95, NSC Records of Action)