Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XXI, Near East Region; Arabian Peninsula

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

Cairo, April 30, 1967, 1628Z.

6945. Ref: Cairo 6944.²

1. Following is text of unofficial translation of message from Field Marshal Amer addressed to Secretary:

2. I have received your message of April 29th 1967³ on the developments related to the attack which took place in Taiz, Yemen Arab Republic which led to the present tense situation between the Government of the United States and the Government of the Yemen Arab Republic.

3. Notwithstanding the fact that the matter falls within the Yemen-U.S. relations, the U.A.R. Government has maintained a very close watch over its development. We have equally received your representatives and engaged with them in a frank and sincere discussion, with a view to avoiding any further deterioration in the situation.

4. I wish, however, to state some observations related to the April 25th attack and its consequent developments;

• —On the night of April 25 bazooka shots were fired at an army ammunition depot in Taiz, resulting in the death of a Yemeni soldier and another from the United Arab Republic forces. Two other soldiers were gravely injured. This is no doubt a highly serious matter.
• —The Yemeni authorities have carried out an investigation, which required the arrest of two United States citizens. They have been interrogated in the presence of the United States Consul in Taiz. The investigation has proceeded in accordance with the general norms and practice which insure its objectivity.
• —I have been informed by the Yemeni Government that they have evidence which proves the implication of the two detained Americans.
• —Despite the gravity of the events and the loss of lives, the Yemeni authorities, as well as U.A.R. authorities have maintained self-restraint.
• —In the course of his meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister of the Yemen Arab Republic, the United States Charge d’Affaires orally threatened that the United States would withdraw its recognition of the Yemeni Government if the latter does not respond to the United States protest within twenty-four hours. The attitude of the United States Charge d’Affaires has undoubtedly left serious effects with the Yemeni Government and resulted in the deterioration of the situation.
• —On our part, I instructed the commander of the U.A.R. forces in Yemen to provide their assistance with a view to insuring the safety of the United States citizens and to cooperate in securing the withdrawal of those American citizens who wish to depart.
• —I wish to add that we shall exert our efforts to lessen tension in the present situation and to bring it to normalcy.⁴

Nes

1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967-69, POLUS-YEMEN. Secret; Limdis.
2. In telegram 6944 from Cairo, April 30, Nes reported that he had met with Riad who gave him Field Marshal Amer’s reply to the Secretary’s message. Riad said Amer also wished to convey an oral message to the Secretary that a “quieter situation” would assist the United Arab Republic in its efforts with the Yemeni Government to stop the trial. If those efforts were successful, the next UAR step would be to obtain the release of the two Americans. Riad indicated that the “quieter situation” Amer was referring to involved lifting restrictions on the Yemeni Ambassador in Washington. Nes strongly recommended that this be done, noting that most of the Americans in Yemen had been evacuated and that equivalent restrictions were not yet placed on the U.S. Charge in Sanaa. (Ibid.) On April 27 the Department had notified the Yemeni Ambassador that he and his staff were restricted to the Washington area until further notice. (Telegram 183980 to Sanaa, April 28; ibid., POL 17 YEMEN-US)
3. See Document 442.
4. Telegram 185098 to Cairo, April 30, reported that the Department informed UAR Ambassador Kamel that the Department had received Amer’s message and had particularly noted his expressed interest in lowering tension between their two governments. The U.S. Government was also interested in lowering tension and, as a result of the orderly progress in evacuation of Americans from Yemen, it had lifted restrictions on the Yemeni Ambassador in Washington. (Ibid., POLUS-YEMEN)