300. Letter From the President’s Deputy Special Counsel (Feldman) to the Representative to the United Nations (Stevenson)0
Dear Governor: After receiving your letter of June 141 I decided to discuss the “correspondence” again with Ambassador Harman. I told [Page 737] him that I felt his Government had an obligation to discuss with us, in advance, any initiatives it considered taking at the United Nations which would involve us. I referred specifically to the “Brazzaville” resolution.2 It seemed to me, I said, that if they expected understanding from the United States they should take the United States into their confidence with regard to their plans.
Ambassador Harman assured me that his Government was not taking any action to enlist support for another “Brazzaville” resolution. He assured me that if it seemed advisable to introduce such a resolution his Government would consult with you before it discussed the matter with the representatives of any other nation. I made it clear that we would regard such a resolution at this time as an effort to embarrass the United States, and he seemed to understand. At the conclusion of this phase of our conversation I summarized by saying that, although we could not expect to dictate the actions of his Government, we would expect an opportunity to offer our advice before his Government became committed to a course of action; and he agreed.
I then raised the question of Israeli cooperation with the United Nations in connection with its peace-keeping operations. Ambassador Harman pointed out that their interest in not retaliating and in keeping peace and harmony was proved by their recent actions: despite machine-gun fire against their farmers by one Arab State and the shooting of four police officers (one of them fatally) who were merely fixing a fence in Jerusalem, the Israeli Government had contented itself with filing a complaint. He said that this represented Israeli policy. I asked for more constructive suggestions concerning the part the United Nations could play in maintaining peace, and he promised to give me a memorandum on how his Government might cooperate in the strengthening of the United Nations forces.
In addition, in accordance with your suggestion, I asked Harlan Cleveland to have a memorandum prepared for you and me on how the Israelis can help to improve the peace-keeping operations of the United Nations in the Near East.3 After we receive the two memoranda we should discuss the method of implementation.
Best regards.
Sincerely,
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 684A.86B/6–1962. Confidential. The source text is the copy sent to Talbot.↩
- Not found.↩
- Reference is to the draft U.N. resolution defeated in the General Assembly’s Political Committee on December 19 calling for direct negotiations between Israel and its Arab neighbors. See footnote 3 Document 153.↩
- Attached to the source text is a 2-page paper entitled, “Ways By Which Israel Could Enhance the Effectiveness of UNTSO,” drafted by Palmer on June 25 and cleared by Cleveland, Sisco, Talbot, Ludlow, and Strong.↩
- Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.↩