174. Transcript of Telephone Conversation Between Secretary of State Kissinger and United Nations Secretary General Waldheim 1

W: I was calling to congratulate you on your press conference,2 I think it was really well handled, the way you answered all these delicate questions.

K: Thank you.

W: And I wanted to thank you for the way you dealt with the UN.

K: Well, I think you are very nice.

W: It was very helpful—Dr. Kissinger, but what I wanted to tell you is the following. I had a long talk yesterday with El Zayyat after the Security Council meeting—and they decided the following which I wanted to let you know—apparently they feel very strong militarily, whether it is justified or not, at any rate, he put to me the following points. He said they are ready to accept a ceasefire, if the Israelis give a commitment to withdraw to the 1967 lines.

K: Yeh, well that’s out of the question.

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W: I told them this. I said I don’t think there is any chance to get this. But I thought I should tell you because he mentioned quite a number of points, point one, commitment to withdraw to the 6th of June lines, point two—this commitment—the help could be done indeed by the United States, then three, he would give an Egyptian commitment to international forces in Sharm ash Shaykh and also to international buffer zones these international troops in the Golan Heights—not in the whole area but in an area along Syrian border and then he said we would accept an international conference to negotiate details, etc., but some sort of arrangement for the Palestinians would be found and the Palestinians would have—participate in such a conference.3 I thought I should let you know this. I am of course fully aware that especially the first point is not acceptable to Israel because I have spoken to Abba Eban the day before. And I told him this first point is as far as I can judge, definitely not acceptable to Israel. He said but why should we not be more flexible since we have military advantages before.

K: Right.

W: They apparently feel militarily strong now and believe they are able to keep what they got under East Bank and don’t want to be more flexible.

K: Right. Well I appreciate this very much, Mr. Secretary General and if I have anything to report to you I will take the liberty of calling you.

W: Well thank you very much. Do you have the impression that it sounds a major progress in your talks with the Russians.

K: I’ll have a little better judgment of that later this afternoon and I’ll call you if there is anything to report.

W: Thank you very much. I’m sorry that I have—

K: No, no it is important for you and me to keep in touch.

W: Thank you very much.

K: Goodbye.

W: Goodbye, Dr. Kissinger.

  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, Kissinger Telephone Conversations, Transcripts (Telcons), Chronological File, Box 23. No classification marking. Kissinger was in Washington; Waldheim was in New York.
  2. See footnote 5, Document 159.
  3. Ismail communicated these points directly to Kissinger in his October 10 backchannel message; see footnote 2, Document 160.