131. Editorial Note
On October 19, 1961, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs Meyer sent through Chairman of the Policy Planning Council McGhee a memorandum to Secretary of State Rusk recommending that the Secretary seek President Kennedy’s approval for extending an invitation to Nasser to visit the United States the following spring. A memorandum from Francis E. Meloy of McGhee’s staff to H. Earle Russell in NEA, dated October 23, indicates that NEA subsequently withdrew the memorandum and that Deputy Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Johnson remained opposed to extending an invitation to Nasser at that time, preferring instead to issue an [Page 312] invitation early in 1962 for a visit shortly thereafter. (Department of State, Central Files, 786B.11/10–1961)
On October 22, Senator Hubert H. Humphrey, who was visiting Cairo, held an extended conversation with President Nasser, whom the Senator had first met during a trip to Egypt in 1957 (see Foreign Relations, 1955–1957, volume XVII, pages 587–589). Subsequently, Humphrey prepared a detailed memorandum of the conversation, which among other points, noted Nasser’s anti-Communist views, his interest in better relations with the West, his disinterest in restoring previous ties with Syria, and his concern over Egypt’s development needs. Documentation on Senator Humphrey’s trip to the Middle East is in Department of State, Central File 033.1100–HU.
On October 26, Komer sent Humphrey’s memorandum to President Kennedy with a note indicating that it was “worth your reading.” Komer also advised: “The time has come for us to make a gesture toward Nasser designed to reassure him that we are not really sitting back and chortling over his discomfiture in Syria. Despite this, Nasser remains the most powerful leader in the Arab world. Moreover, disillusionment over Syria may lead him to turn inward and try to make a success of ‘revolution in one country’, while relaxing his efforts to achieve tight political union among the Arabs. Both developments would be to our interest.” Komer also recommended that the best gesture would be to invite Nasser to visit the United States the following spring. He noted that the Department of State was on the verge of making such a recommendation. (Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Country Series, United Arab Republic, 7/61–10/61)
A memorandum from Strong to Talbot, dated October 31, that discusses developments during Talbot’s absence from the Department of State indicates: “We pulled back our memo on the invitation to Nasser, but Senator Humphrey has recommended an immediate invitation. Alex Johnson still thinks an invitation for a visit next March should not be made until January.” (Department of State, NEA/NE Files: Lot 63 D 33, Chron. Asst Secretary NEA Correspondence)