188. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Jordan1

175876. Ref: Amman 5084;2 5170.3

1.
Please pass to King Hussein following oral message from the President: Your apprehensions concerning future sanctity of Jordanian territory have been brought to my attention. I wish again to assure you, as I did in my letter of February 11,4 that it is our policy and our interest to continue our close relationship and our support of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. As Ambassador Symmes has indicated to you, we have made abundantly clear to the Government of Israel our policy toward the continued independence and integrity of your country. You should also know that we would strongly oppose any occupation of territory beyond the present cease-fire lines. I recognize that Your Majesty has sought to prevent use of Jordanian territory to mount acts of violence across the cease-fire line and urge that continued efforts be made to prevent these actions which promote instability and are an impediment to progress toward peace.
2.
I want also to assure you that we are continuing our efforts to bring about a just settlement in the Near East which is, after all, the only solution to the problem about which we are both concerned.
Rusk
  1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 27 ARAB-ISR. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Drafted by Houghton and Davies on May 31; cleared by Atherton, Popper, Handley, Katzenbach, and Walt Rostow; and approved by Rusk. Repeated to USUN. A record of a June 4 luncheon meeting with the President indicates that President Johnson also cleared the message. (Johnson Library, National Security File, Files of Walt W. Rostow, Meetings with the President, May-June 1968)
  2. See footnote 2, Document 183.
  3. On June 4 General Khammash informed the Embassy that King Hussein was very concerned about the Israeli artillery and aerial attacks in the Irbid area that morning and wanted to know if there had been any response to his question concerning the U.S. attitude toward the integrity of Jordan. (National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 27 ARAB-ISR)
  4. See Document 77.