Foreign Relations of the United States, 1917–1972, Volume VII, Public Diplomacy, 1964–1968

154. Memorandum From the Deputy Director, Policy and Research, United States Information Agency (Ryan) to the Director (Marks)¹

Washington, June 10, 1967

SUBJECT

• Output to the Arab World

Friday² afternoon I met with John Chancellor, John Daly, Dick Cushing, Alan Carter, Mark Lewis. Purpose: to identify and discuss the problems of talking to Arab audiences in the immediate future.

We agreed that:

(1) Dignity is a paramount sensitivity in the Arab world. We must do nothing to impair the Arab sense of dignity.

(2) Regardless of the invective of Arab media, VOA will maintain dignity, not gloat or reflect gloating, will not dwell on “Arab defeat,” will not use charged language, rhetorical adjectives, or an indignant tone in refuting Arab charges. Refutation of those charges, however, will continue.

(3) VOA will follow the lead of the official U.S. position on rupture of relations. We regret the break with Arab nations, hope the breach can be healed.

(4) VOA will make every effort to avoid the collective term Arab in discussing the contenders against Israel. Some Arabs resent being—unjustly, as they feel—lumped with the combatants.

(5) Speculation on the meaning of Nasser’s resignation,³ and on his future role, is taboo in original output, and will be played down in use of attributed comment. The same applies to speculation on the Soviet role and motives, and on the responsibility for the initial outbreak of hostilities.

We agreed that a prime problem will be Arab preoccupation with the applicability of the U.S. commitment to territorial integrity of the nations in the area. We also agreed that we do not have the answer now.

IOP will incorporate these points in a more general guidance⁴ to the media.

1. Source: National Archives, RG 306, Director’s Subject Files, 1967–1967, Entry UD WW 108, Box 4, Field: Near East & South Asia, Middle East Crisis, 1967. No classification marking. Another copy is in National Archives, RG 306, General Subject Files, 1949–1970, Entry UD WW 264, Box 311, INFI Near East Middle East Crisis Agency Output 1967. USIA generated this memorandum in response to the conclusion of the Six Day War between Israel and the UAR (Egypt), Syria and Jordan, June 5–10. Israel defeated the forces of the three Arab nations on June 10.
2. June 9.
3. Reference is to Gamal Abdel Nasser, President of the UAR, who resigned his office on June 10 because of the UAR’s loss to Israel, but changed his mind later that day and decided to remain in office. (See Eric Pace, “Nasser Decides to Remain, Yielding to ‘People’s Will,’” New York Times, June 11, 1967, p. 1)
4. Not further identified.