Office of the Historian

379. Telegram From the Embassy in the United Arab Republic to the Department of State1

Cairo, August 25, 1965, 1112Z.

567. Believe Yemen agreement signed yesterday by Feisal and Nasser and reported to Dept in Embtel 5622 is very promising development. While we do not yet know details of any secret side agreements, such as what if anything is to be done about Badr and Sallal, and 15 months’ period required for implementation may give too much time for participants to come to blows over details, agreement clearly much more concrete than most expected. Elements which strike us as being particularly good about agreement are: (1) It is public and therefore harder for parties to back away from than was case with Alexandria agreement. (2) Egyptians have agreed to what we have understood was Saudi condition that determination future form of govt be left to Yemenis. (3) Definite time set for evacuation Egyptian troops, but evacuation spread out over period which will permit some efforts at ensuring stable transition period.

Egyptian willingness give on points which previously obstacles to settlement reflects what we believe is genuine determination get out of Yemen at almost all costs. We hope that Dept will be able inject note of optimism into any comments USG may make on settlement and that someone will be able to echo admirable remarks Senator Fulbright re Nasser’s (and Feisal’s) statesmanlike efforts settle problem.3

Battle
  1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964-66, POL 27 YEMEN. Confidential; Priority. Repeated to Jidda, London, Taiz, and CINCSTRIKE.↩
  2. Telegram 562 from Cairo, August 24, transmitted the text of the agreement on Yemen reached by President Nasser and King Faisal that day in Jidda. (Ibid.) The Jidda Agreement called for: (1) a cease-fire; (2) a popular plebiscite to be held in Yemen no later than November 23, 1966; (3) UAR-Saudi cooperation in setting up an interim conference of Yemeni republicans and royalists to convene in Haradh (in Yemen) on November 23, 1965, to negotiate arrangements for a transitional government and the plebiscite; (4) withdrawal of UAR military forces within 10 months from November 23, 1965; and (5) Saudi agreement to stop immediately military assistance in any form to the royalists or use of Saudi territory for action against Yemen.↩
  3. On August 31 President Johnson sent King Faisal a letter expressing his pleasure upon learning of the agreement. (Johnson Library, National Security File, Special Head of State Correspondence File, Saudi Arabia, Presidential Correspondence)↩