238. Editorial Note
On May 8, 1963, during a press conference, President Kennedy responded to a question on the military balance in the Near East and U.S. policy toward the security of Israel and Jordan by making an extended statement of U.S. policy in the Near East. After indicating that he did not believe that the arms balance in the Near East had changed recently, Kennedy affirmed that the United States supported social, economic, and political progress in the region, supported the security of both Israel and its Arab neighbors, sought to limit the arms race, opposed the spread of Communism and the use of force or threat of force, and would work with the United Nations or act unilaterally to prevent or put a stop to aggression. (Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: John F. Kennedy, 1963, page 373)
A memorandum from Grant to Secretary Rusk on May 7 proposed that the President voluntarily read a statement on the Near East at his forthcoming press conference and offered the text of a statement different from that given by the President. Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations Frederick G. Dutton wrote a memorandum, also dated May 7, dissenting from Grant’s memorandum. (Department of State, NEA/NE Files: Lot 66 D 5, Memos to Secretary and through S/S)
The text of President Kennedy’s May 8 statement was transmitted to U.S. posts in circular telegram 1916, May 8. (Ibid., Central Files, PR 11–3 Kennedy) On May 9, UAR Ambassador Kamel met with Grant and expressed his unhappiness over the systematic campaign in the U.S. press to attack his country. Kamel asked that his personal appreciation be conveyed to the President for his “wise and balanced” statement of May 8. (Circular telegram 1924, May 9; ibid., POL MIDEAST-US; memorandum of conversation, May 9; ibid., POL UAR-US)