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

476. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Italy¹

Washington, May 20, 1968, 2213Z.

167296. Jidda 4043.²

1. Recent reports make clear that question of position Hamid al-Din family members, at least during next stage Yemen’s political evolution, continues be key consideration at this point in any attempt reconcile views of YARG and Royalist moderates.

2. Recent exchanges between YARG representatives and Italians, between Ahmad Numan and Embassy Beirut, between Saudi Prince Sultan and Yemeni Royalists, and among Royalists before, during, and after their conference at Saada, suggest there may be opportunity during this period of regrouping and reassessment for low key approaches with both sides designed stimulate greater mutual flexibility.

3. Accordingly, to supplement approach reported Rome 6033³ and in interest trying move situation off dead center, Embassy should propose to FonOff that in our view it might prove useful if GOI were (a) to ask Ambassador Bernucci to encourage further thinking by Al-Iryani or Al-Amri of either some limited role for modest Hamid al-Din participation in government as Yemeni individuals or their possible acceptability in number diplomatic posts abroad; and (b) to suggest Ambassador Sabetta call Saudi attention to Iryani’s recent comments (State 162566)⁴ and raise question SAG giving further thought to desirability continuing to insist on support whole family on basis its former royal status.

4. Embassy may tell GOI that we would be prepared support any such Sabetta approach, along lines suggested para four State 161441,⁵ if our two Ambassadors believed this useful.⁶

Rusk

1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967-69, POL 27 YEMEN. Confidential. Drafted by Dinsmore and Brewer, cleared by Rush W. Taylor, Jr. (EUR/AIS), and approved by Brewer. Repeated to Aden, Beirut, Jidda, and London.
2. Dated May 18. (Ibid.)
3. Dated May 19. (Ibid.)
4. Telegram 162566 to Jidda, May 11, informed the Embassy that the Italian Ambassador in Taiz had been summoned on May 6 by Republican Council President Al-Iryani, who stated that his government’s aim was to resist Soviet penetration and noted that it was now fighting on three fronts—against the royalists, against the PRSY extremists, and against internal subversion. Al-Iryani called for “enlightened intervention by Faisal to prevent an irreparable situation in Yemen.” (Ibid.)
5. Paragraph 4 of telegram 161441 to Beirut, May 9, stated that if, as reported, there was a positive desire for compromise on the republican side, including the key question of the Hamid al-Dins, prospects for a negotiated political solution might be improved. (Ibid.)
6. Telegram 6088 from Rome, May 22, reported that an Embassy officer had reviewed the Department’s telegram with Vice Director General of Political Affairs Perrone in the Italian Foreign Ministry, who agreed that the recent conversations mentioned provided some basis for a new approach to the Yemenis and the Saudis. He said that the Italian Ambassador in Yemen would be asked to sound out Yemeni leaders along the lines of paragraph 3. Perrone stressed that any new joint approach to the Saudis should await the results of this step; if the YARG leaders remained adamant on participation of royal family members, he doubted the utility of any effort in Jidda. (Ibid.)