Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XIX, Arab-Israeli Crisis and War, 1967

378. Telegram From the Department of State to the Mission at Geneva¹

Washington, July 19, 1967, 7:45 p.m.

9613. For Ambassador Tubby from Battle.

1. Your 4333.² Hafez, Siddiqui, and Chamberlain³ known to us. We met with them in Washington last summer. While Hafez’s influence with Nasser not known, we are aware that Hafez has easy access to Nasser.

2. Would appreciate your delivering following message to Hafez:

Despite very serious problems in US–UAR relations, USG remains prepared for discussions with duly accredited representatives of GUAR. Former Treasury Secretary Robert Anderson, who is known to Nasser and who enjoys full confidence of President Johnson, would be prepared to meet with Vice President Muhieddin on secret basis perhaps in Geneva at time to be mutually agreed. Mr. Anderson is proceeding to London July 27 where plans remain five days. He could go to Geneva during that period. If GUAR desires such a meeting further details can be arranged through US Mission Geneva.⁴

3. Please use slug designator Nodis/Whirl Wind for all communications on this subject.

Rusk

1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL UAR-US. Top Secret; Immediate; Nodis; Whirlwind. Drafted by Bergus, cleared by Eugene Rostow and Battle, and approved by Katzenbach.
2. Reference is to telegram 232 from Geneva, July 19, for Battle from Representative to the European Office of the United Nations Roger W. Tubby. It reported that Elwy Hafez, who identified himself as a member of the UAR National Council and a close friend of Nasser, had called on Tubby. Hafez said that Nasser had told him 6 days earlier that he wanted to reestablish good relations with the United States and would receive anyone close to President Johnson on a secret basis or would send Vice President Mohieddin to Geneva or elsewhere for talks. He said that Nasser was “through with Russians,” that he wanted above all else to develop his country, and that he realized the United States could do more than anyone else. He said Nasser told him he wanted the United States to be the sole intermediary between the UAR and Israel; he would not recognize Israel or deal directly with it, but he would agree to “live and let live” if Israel would return to the 1956 borders. (Ibid.)
3. Donald Chamberlain, Vice President of American Locomotives, Inc., and Wahid Siddiqui, a Pakistani representative of that company in Geneva, accompanied Hafez in his call on Tubby.
4. Tubby reported in telegram 247 from Geneva, July 20, that he had delivered the message to Hafez, who was returning to Cairo that day. Hafez thought arrangements could be made for Mohieddin to meet with Anderson on a secret basis, preferably in Geneva. (National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL UAR-US) Telegram 10370 to Geneva, July 20, states that Anderson was willing to go to Geneva and would prefer a meeting on July 30. (Ibid.)