228. Transcript of a Telephone Conversation Between the President’s Assistant for International Economic Affairs (Flanigan) and the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)1
F: Apparently many airlines have recommended that their airplanes not land at Beirut and Damascus. PAA has one and they want to know what do. They think there’s danger.
[Page 661]K: My recommendation is not to land there but talk to Rogers.
F: Why?
K: A) I don’t think they are tough as they pretend but the moderate Arab Govts need an excuse to attack them. If the moderate Arabs can prove it hurts them, then they can go to them in the name of the moderate Arabs and say you are hurting us more than them, I think it’s ended soon.
F: You would recommend then that no American lines go into any Arab country?
K: That’s my recommendation. We can wait.
F: There’s a rumor that there will be an attack if planes land there.
K: That’s nonsense. If they don’t let prisoners go tomorrow, that’s what I would do.
F: Transportation is brooking the question to State.
K: The State answer will be to land.
F: Then just let them make that recommendation and make them act on it.
K: I don’t want to do it without consultation with the President. Wait until the deadline has passed. After Sunday we should do it.
F: I will tell them to take their instructions from State. We will move in when we have to but we will stay out now.
- Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, Kissinger Telephone Conversations, Box 30, Chronological Files. No classification marking. Although no exact time appears on the transcript, a notation indicates that the telephone call took place in the evening.↩