Office of the Historian

242. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon1

Washington, September 15, 1970, 9 a.m.

SUBJECT

  • Hijacking Situation—Tuesday Morning

The principal development overnight is the Red Cross decision— against a background of growing British and German restiveness with the present situation—to return a senior representative to Amman. As head of the Red Cross permanent delegation in Cairo, he (Boisard) has successfully managed the Suez prisoner exchanges. (These covered the release of the hijacked Israeli TWA passengers last November.)

This decision was made known during a long—and, according to the U.S. representative, “depressing”—meeting of the Bern Group last night.2 Both the British and German representatives pressed persistently for some sign of movement to placate public pressures for some sign of movement:

  • —The Britisher said the UK would feel obliged to move independently unless there is an announcement of Red Cross negotiations.
  • —The German pressed the Israeli to declare Israel’s willingness to participate in a prisoner exchange.

The Red Cross insists on no announcement of Boisard’s appointment until he is on his way to Amman, probably tomorrow. The Red Cross feels such an announcement would undercut the contacts of the team still in Amman. The Bern Group was called into session again this morning at UK request. London has sent “tough instructions” to insist on a Red Cross announcement this evening at the latest; if the Red Cross refuses, the British are prepared to end the Red Cross role.

There have been two statements by the PFLP overnight: (1) A spokesman said the front has closed the door to all mediation; their stand is simply the release of fedayeen detained by the states concerned. (2) At a press conference, commandos warned that any attempt to free hostages by force would endanger their lives. They demanded a prompt exchange; “we will not wait forever.”

There has been no serious fighting in Amman, though Jordanian forces and fedayeen have clashed in northern Jordan.

  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 331, Subject Files, Hijackings. Secret. Sent for information. The time is handwritten at the top of the first page. Another notation indicates the President saw the memorandum.↩
  2. As reported in telegram 2266 from Bern, September 15, 0040Z. (Ibid., RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, PS 7–6 JORDAN)↩