Near East, 1961–1962


181. Memorandum From the Department of State Executive Secretary (Battle) to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 788.11/1–3062. Secret. Drafted by Bowling; cleared by Talbot, Meloy (G), and King (U/PR). A typewritten marginal notation indicates that the White House approved the recommendation on January 31.


182. Memorandum From Acting Secretary of State Ball to President Kennedy

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 786B.11/1–3162. Secret. Drafted by Thacher and Barrow on January 23.


183. National Intelligence Estimate

Source: Central Intelligence Agency Files. Secret. According to a note attached to the study: “The following intelligence organizations participated in the preparation of this estimate: The Central Intelligence Agency and the intelligence organizations of the Departments of State, the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, and The Joint Staff.” All members of the U.S. Intelligence Board concurred in the estimate except the Atomic Energy Commission representative and the Assistant Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation, who abstained because the subject was outside their jurisdiction.


184. Memorandum From Robert W. Komer of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)

Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Country Series, United Arab Republic, Nasser Visit. Secret. A copy was sent to Kaysen.


185. Memorandum From Robert W. Komer of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)

Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Country Series, United Arab Republic, Nasser Visit. Secret. A copy was sent to Kaysen.


186. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs (Talbot) and the Assistant Secretary of State for Congressional Relations (Dutton) to Secretary of State Rusk

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 684A.86B/2–262. Official Use Only. Drafted by Crawford on February 1 and concurred in by Strong, Buffum (IO/UNP), and Palmer (IO/UNP).


187. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 325.84/2–662. Confidential; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Crawford and Palmer on February 12.


188. Memorandum From the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs (Grant) to the President’s Special Representative and Adviser on African, Asian, and Latin American Affairs (Bowles)

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.86B/2–662. Secret. Drafted by Strong and Barrow. Additional briefing material, entitled “Suggested Points for Discussion by Ambassador Bowles with Senior Officials in the United Arab Republic,” attached to the source text, is not printed. It contained a series of papers on key trouble spots in other parts of the world, disarmament, neutralism, Africa, U.S. policy toward the Middle East, and U.S.-UAR relations.


189. Letter From Secretary of State Rusk to the Ambassador to Iran (Holmes)

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 788.5/1–2262. Secret. Drafted by Baxter (AID/PRCS) on February 2. In a February 3 memorandum, AID Administrator Fowler Hamilton recommended that this response be sent to Ambassador Holmes. (Ibid., S/S-NSC Files: Lot 70 D 265, NSC-Position Paper Iran—1961–1964.


190. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 684A.86/2–1362. Confidential. Drafted by Strong and approved in S on February 22.


191. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 786A.11/2–1362. Secret. Drafted by Seelye (NEA/NE) on February 16 and approved by the White House on February 27. The briefing book that the Department of State prepared for President Kennedy’s use prior to the February 13 meeting is ibid., Conference Files: Lot 65 D 533, CF 2054.


192. Memorandum From Robert W. Komer of the National Security Council Staff to President Kennedy

Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Meetings and Memoranda Series, Staff Memoranda, Robert W. Komer. Secret. Komer transmitted this memorandum to Bundy under cover of a brief memorandum that reads: “Here is my response to JFK on aid to UAR. It avoids re-argument in extenso, but urges confrontation with Rusk, et al, on whole issue of UAR policy. This simply revives idea you had at end of January, for which time now seems ripe.” To this Komer added the handwritten remark: “Bowles reports will give us peg!”


193. Telegram From the Embassy in Sudan to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 123-Bowles, Chester. Secret; Priority. Repeated to Athens and Cairo.


194. Memorandum From the Department of State Executive Secretary (Battle) to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.86A/2–2062. Secret. Drafted by Seelye on February 15 and cleared by Grant (NEA) and Williams (AID).


195. Airgram From the Embassy in Ethiopia to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 123-Bowles, Chester. Secret.


196. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Saudi Arabia

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 811.0086A/2–2462. Secret. Drafted by Seelye; cleared by Thacher, Ide (AID), Smith (White House), Komer (White House), Duncan (NE/E), Olsen (S/S), and Williams (AID); and approved by Grant. Repeated to Dhahran.


197. Memorandum From the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs (Grant) to the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (McGhee)

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 684A.85322/2–2462. Confidential. Drafted by Crawford and cleared by Sisco (IO/UNP). A note attached to the source text on McGhee’s stationery reads: “Mr. McGhee commented: ‘Very good. This is good preventive action.’”


198. Circular Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Syria

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 684A.85322/2–2462. Confidential; Priority. Drafted by Crawford, cleared by Sisco, and approved by Grant. Repeated to Amman, Baghdad, Beirut, Cairo, Jerusalem, Jidda, London, Moscow, Paris, Rome, Tel Aviv, Bucharest, and USUN.


199. Circular Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassies in the United Kingdom and in Syria

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 684A.85322/2–2462. Confidential; Priority. Drafted by Crawford, cleared by Sisco, and approved by Grant. Repeated to Amman, Baghdad, Beirut, Cairo, Jerusalem, Jidda, Moscow, Paris, Rome, Tel Aviv, Bucharest, and USUN.


200. Policy Directive Prepared by the Bureau of Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs

Source: Department of State, S/S-NSC Files: Lot 70 D 265, NSC Standing Group 3/3/62. Secret. Drafted by Barrow and Dickman on February 26 and cleared by Anderson (AID/NESA), Robinson (G/PM), and Lewis (CU/PDS). Issued under the authority of Grant and Gaud. The paper was discussed at a meeting of the NSC Standing Group on March 2; see Document 204. The paper was reproduced on Department of State Policy Directive stationery as PD/NEA-8.1, dated March 15. (Washington National Records Center,RG 330, OSD/ISA Files: FRC 69 A 7275, Middle East Policy, 1957–1964)


201. Memorandum From the Department of State Executive Secretary (Battle) to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)

Source: Kennedy Library, President’s Office Files, Countries, United Arab Republic, Security—1962. Confidential. The memorandum and its attachments were transmitted to President Kennedy on February 28 together with a memorandum from Komer, Document 202. The Department of State copy of the memorandum indicates that Dickman drafted the covering memorandum, and Barrow and Duncan its attachment. (Department of State, Central Files, 120.1586B/2–2762)


202. Memorandum From Robert W. Komer of the National Security Council Staff to President Kennedy

Source: Kennedy Library, President’s Office Files, Countries, United Arab Republic, Security—1962. Secret.


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

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 684A.85322/2–2862. Confidential; Priority. Received at 4:27 p.m. Repeated to Amman, Baghdad, Beirut, Cairo, Jidda, Tel Aviv, Aleppo, Ankara, Jerusalem, London, Moscow, Paris, and Rome.


204. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs (Talbot) to the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (McGhee)

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 783.00/3–262. Secret. Drafted by Thacher. Tabs A–C are listed at the bottom of the memorandum but are not attached to the source text.


205. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rusk to President Kennedy

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 786.11/3–262. Secret. Drafted by Strong. Komer forwarded this memorandum to President Kennedy on March 5; see Document 206.


206. Memorandum From Robert W. Komer of the National Security Council Staff to President Kennedy

Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Meetings and Memoranda Series, Staff Memoranda, Robert W. Komer. Secret.


207. Telegram From the Embassy in Iran to the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 788.11/3–762. Secret; Priority; Limit Distribution. Received at 9:30 p.m. The source text does not indicate a time of transmission.


208. Memorandum From the Administrator of the Agency for International Development (Hamilton) to the National Security Council

Source: Department of State,S/S-NSC Files: Lot 70 D 265, NSC-Position Paper Iran—1961–1964. Secret. Transmitted to the White House under cover of a March 8 memorandum from Battle to Bundy (Document 209), which indicates in its list of attachments that Hamilton’s memorandum was dated March 8. Another copy, however, is stamped March 9. (Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Country Series, Iran Subjects: Shah Visit, 3/25/62–3/28/62) The memorandum was discussed at a meeting of the NSC Standing Group on March 23; see Document 219.


209. Memorandum From the Department of State Executive Secretary (Battle) to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 788.11/3–862. Secret. Drafted by Bowling; cleared by McGhee, Johnson (G), Talbot, Coffin (AID), and King (U/PR). A typed notation on the source text indicates that the White House approved the memorandum on March 16 and that the telegram attached to it was sent. Komer forwarded this memorandum and its attachments to President Kennedy on March 9 with the following comment: “I strongly urge that, while approving an earlier visit, you reserve judgment on the thorny issue of how much military baksheesh we will pay the Shah until you can hear more arguments from both sides. For example, AID’s well-balanced paper (Tab 4) points out the difficulty in going over $300 million, and the likeliHood that we may have to commit some $400–600 million to Iran’s new development plan. Our job is not just how to keep this unstable monarch from kicking over the traces but how to cajole him into paying more attention to what we consider are the key internal problems confronting Iran.” (Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Country Series, Iran Subjects: Shah Visit) This copy of Battle’s March 8 memorandum is filed separately, but is clearly described in Komer’s memorandum. (Ibid., Iran, 3/2/62–3/26/62)


210. Letter From the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs (Talbot) to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (Bundy)

Source: Department of State, Central Files, 711.551/3–962. Official Use Only. Drafted by Greene (NEA/GTI) and cleared in draft by Colonel Kettelhut (NEA/NR), Winfree (G/PM), and Pender (L/SFP).