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  4. Document 7

7. Telegram From the Department of State to Certain Diplomatic Posts1

Washington, February 6, 1969, 0214Z.

19022. Following for your information is full text of US reply to French proposal for meeting of UN reps of Four Powers on Middle East;2 given to French Amb by Secy Feb 5:

Qte The United States Government has carefully considered the proposal of the French Government of January 16, 1969, for a meeting of the United Nations representatives of France, the USSR, the United Kingdom and the United States on the Middle East.

The United States has a deep and abiding interest in the establishment of an agreed peace in the Middle East which is in the interest of all peoples in the area. We have supported fully the mission of Ambassador Jarring to promote the agreement called for in the SC Resolution of November 22, 1967.

The United States is prepared in principle to consider favorably a meeting of United Nations representatives of the four governments within the framework of the Security Council to discuss ways and means to assist Ambassador Jarring to promote agreement between the parties in accordance with the Security Council Resolution of November 22, 1967. To this end, the United States suggests that there be prompt preliminary discussions, in the first instance on a bilateral basis, in order to develop the measure of understanding that would [Page 30] make an early meeting of the representatives of the Four Powers a fruitful and constructive complement to Ambassador Jarring’s mission. Unqte.3

Rogers
  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1187, Saunders Files, Middle East Negotiations Files, Middle East Settlement—Jarring Cables, 1969. Confidential; Priority; Exdis. Drafted by Betty J. Jones (IO/UNP); cleared in NEA/IAI, NEA/UAR, and EUR; and approved by Sisco. Sent to Amman, Beirut, Jidda, London, Moscow, Paris, Rome, Tel Aviv, Cairo, and USUN.↩
  2. See footnote 9, Document 4.↩
  3. Yost met French Ambassador to the United Nations Armand Bérard on February 12 to discuss establishing a Four-Power framework. (Telegram 414 from USUN, February 13; National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 648, Country Files, Middle East, Middle East Negotiations)↩