Office of the Historian

192. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson1

Washington, May 31, 1967, 8:45 p.m.

SUBJECT

  • Appointment With Iraqi Foreign Minister

Attached is Sec. Rusk’s recommendation that you see Iraqi Foreign Minister Pachachi.2 Since he has just been in Cairo and is a responsible man, he could turn out to be one of our better channels to the Arabs.

We shall aim to tie him to the same kind of commitment to secrecy we got from Eban.

Sec. Rusk would see him before you, but Pachachi would probably have to be told before he’d come down from New York that he had an appointment with you.

I believe you should give serious consideration to seeing him. In Arab eyes, we are completely committed to Israel. It would be healthy, if we are to salvage any of our Arab interests from this crisis, if a responsible Arab could carry away an impression of both your resolution and your good will for Arabs who are trying to restore peace.

My recommendation is that he carry away a firm sense of how deeply meant were all aspects of your May 23 speech.

Walt

I’ll see him3

See me

  1. Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Iraq, Cables&Memos, Vol. I, 12/63-7/68. Secret.↩
  2. Rusk’s May 31 memorandum stated that Pachachi had come to the United States in hope of seeing the President in connection with the Arab-Israel crisis, and argued that Johnson’s reception of an Arab statesman of this caliber would help balance any Arab reaction to the visit of Foreign Minister Eban of Israel. (National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967-69, POL 7 IRAQ)↩
  3. Johnson completed the statement by writing: “only if you get same promises of secrecy as we got from Eban &under same conditions.” The President’s Daily Diary records that Johnson and Rostow met with Pachachi and Ambassador Hani on June 1 at the White House from 7:26 p.m. to 8 p.m. (Johnson Library) No record of their conversation has been found. Telegram 207808 to Baghdad, June 2, stated that the President requested that there be no publicity on his meeting with Pachachi, and Ambassador Hani had agreed, stating that he understood that Pachachi also desired no publicity. (National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967-69, POL 7 IRAQ)↩