Office of the Historian

119. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Iran1

Washington, December 13, 1967, 1709Z.

83752. For the Ambassador. Developments of past weeks indicate the Soviets may have moved in a phase of heightened direct involvement and greater risks to establish a dominant position in the Southwest Arabian Peninsula.2 In fact the character and scope of their activities suggest an intent to carry out an armed intrusion that would exacerbate the inherently unstable conditions in this troubled area.

Although the South Yemen People’s Republic has achieved a degree of control and stability in the few days that it has existed, Soviet and Chicom governments have at a minimum an influential fraction in the controlling elements. In the event the civil war in the Yemen itself produces a partition between North and South Yemen, the latter seems likely to merge with the SYPR under a growing Soviet influence. The emergence of a radical South Yemen government with control of port, [Page 253] communications and air bases in Aden-Taiz-Bodeida triangle is an eventuality that must be realistically considered. The implications of such a development for the already strained situation in the Near East resulting from the June war is apparent.

It is requested that action addressees approach host governments and express USG interest and concern in the situation and a desire for a close and continuing exchange of information on developments in the Arabian Peninsula in [less than 1 line of source text not declassified] diplomatic [less than 1 line of source text not declassified] channels.

Katzenbach
  1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967-69, POL 27 YEMEN. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Drafted by Walsh; cleared by Battle, Eugene Rostow, and Helms; and approved by Acting Secretary Katzenbach. Also sent to Ankara, Tel Aviv, Amman, and Jidda and repeated to London, USUN, US MISSION NATOTOSEC, Moscow, Tunis, Morocco, Beirut, Addis Ababa, New Delhi, and Rawalpindi.↩
  2. Regarding current Soviet activities in Yemen, telegram 86028 to Ankara, December 18, reported the Department spokesman’s statement that reports of the delivery of Soviet planes to Yemen and the arrival there of Soviet technicians appeared to be substantially accurate. (Ibid., POL 16 S YEMEN)↩