294. Notes of a Meeting of the NSC Special Committee1

THOSE PRESENT

  • Rusk
  • McNamara
  • Fowler
  • Goldberg
  • Wheeler
  • Helms
  • W.W. Rostow
  • Clifford
  • McG. Bundy
  • Vance
  • Thompson
  • Battle
  • Harry McPherson
  • H. Saunders

The President and George Christian came in about 7:30 p.m.

1.
Fowler’s report on market.
2.
Kosygin: arriving NY late tomorrow after talk with De Gaulle.
3.
France—arms—Algeria.
4.
Reply to Liberty note? McGB to check action with Katzenbach.
5.
Arms control.
  • Thompson’s conversation with Chernyakov is sufficient for the record.
  • —Subject should be in any speech to UNGA & good talking paper for LBJ-Kosygin.
  • Goldberg: neutral parties not eager to press arms registration. Shall we advance proposal ourselves? Do we table a proposal? Do we offer a resolution in our speech?
  • —Tied in with UN presentation.
6.
Vance: water drop? Planes being prepared.
  • EVR-Harman-Dayan & UAR Red Cross—they to look over area in Israeli helicopters.
  • —Reply to Vatican.
  • —Press guidance OK.
7.
Wheelus: McN: “marginally desirable.”
  • —Response telegram: approved with change.2
8.
Attend UN: Two separate questions.
a.
President’s own decision.
b.
Whether we tell UK.
9.
Arab Foreign Ministers: add strong para.
10.
Jidda. Solomon to talk to Aramco on jet fuel to Vietnam.
11.
Should President appear in UNGA?3

Alternative: Speak on national TV hookup before.

Let Kosygin have his show.

DR: “I have some preference for your going.” In & out.

AG: Problem: will Arabs walk out? They have done this on other problems. (USSR wld be against walkout)

Fowler & Christian: Walking out a plus.

Pr: Instinct

(a)
this is Kosygin’s show
(b)
see any heads of state come
(c)
no hurry to gallop up there
(d)
don’t show too much eagerness
(e)
any hope of achieving anything?

Thompson & Clifford: Exceedingly important to see K. Use UN speech as excuse, if need be.

Wld. meeting set us back? China spotlight.

Thompson: Key Soviet question: Can they do business?

DR: Ultimatum? Kennedy-Khrushchev.

  1. Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, NSC Special Committee Files, Minutes and Notes. No classification marking. The meeting was held in the Cabinet room at the White House. The notes are Saunders’ handwritten notes of the meeting. The meeting ended at 8:15 p.m. (Ibid., President’s Daily Diary)
  2. The note “If King wants us out, we have no choice—McN. agrees.” is written in the margin. Documentation on U.S. relations with Libya is in Foreign Relations, 1964–1968, vol. XXIV, Documents 40 ff.
  3. The Fifth Emergency Special Session of the UN General Assembly met June 17–July 5 and July 12–21.