310. Memorandum From the Executive Secretary of the NSC Special Committee (Bundy) to the Members of the Committee 1

Three decisions taken by the President2 are worth reporting for the information of all members of the committee.

1.
The President approved an end to restrictions on normal travel by U.S. citizens to Morocco, Tunisia, Kuwait, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon (subject to check with the Lebanese Government).3
2.
The President approved resumption of normal relations in all fields of economic, technical and food assistance to all nations in the Middle East area who have not broken relations with the United States. (Among those who have taken diplomatic action in this direction, only the Lebanon is not considered to have broken relations.) It is expected that the usual procedures of Presidential approval with respect to specific economic actions will be followed. No decisions have been made on military shipments.
3.
The President directed that Mr. Leonard Marks should be asked to prepare a comprehensive plan for U.S. action to increase the voice of reason on medium-wave radio in the Arab-speaking world—as against the voice of Cairo. Mr. Marks has been asked to draw as required on the appropriate departments and agencies.
McGeorge Bundy
  1. Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, NSC Special Committee Files, Minutes and Notes. Secret.
  2. The President met with Katzenbach, McNamara, Helms, Bundy, Walt Rostow, and George Christian at lunch on June 20. (Ibid., President’s Daily Diary) Rostow’s notes on a copy of the agenda for the meeting indicate that he made the decisions at that time. (Ibid., Files of Walt Rostow, Meetings with the President, Jan.–June 1967) No other record of the meeting has been found.
  3. On June 21 the Department of State announced the lifting of the travel ban to Israel, Kuwait, Morocco, Tunisia, and Saudi Arabia. (Circular telegram 215088, June 23; National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 27 ARAB–ISR)