343. Telegram From Secretary of State Kissinger to the U.S. Interests Section in Cairo1
Secto 181/14891. For Ambassador Eilts from Secretary. Subject: Middle East Negotiations.
1. Please deliver following message from me to Foreign Minister Fahmi.
2. Begin text:
Dear Mr. Foreign Minister:
You and I have exchanged many messages during my trip around the world the past ten days, largely on subjects that required your and my immediate attention and intervention to keep our diplomatic efforts on course. I remain ready to do what I can at any time, should further difficulties develop over implementation of the six point agreement signed on November 11.
But as I start back to Washington, I want to take a longer look at what we have accomplished and what lies ahead. Our talks in Cairo could be a turning point in the difficult history of your area over the past twenty-five years, as well as in the troubled course of Egyptian-American relations for much of that period. It is a tribute to the political vision and courage of President Sadat and to your statecraft that we have been able to make this new beginning. For my part, I want to assure you again of my intention to do all I can to see through to a successful conclusion the work we have begun. I was absolutely serious in everything I said during my talks in Cairo.
The most important question on which we should now focus our attention, in my judgment, is when and how to get things moving with respect to negotiations. Do you agree that the time has come to approach others about the schedule and procedures for launching a conference, as you and I discussed in Cairo?2 We are prepared to move forward now on the schedule which we determined in Cairo. But before I approach others I want to make sure that this continues to represent your own thinking.
[Page 947]I have just seen a report of your talk with Ambassador Eilts on November 14. You should know that I have never discussed the question of a corridor with De Borchgrave or the Syrian Foreign Minister. My discussions with the Syrian were devoted to the question of how to establish contact with the Syrian Government.
I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest opportunity. Meanwhile I want to say again how much I appreciated my visit to Egypt, the opportunity it afforded for detailed, cordial and fruitful talks with President Sadat, yourself and your colleagues, and the extraordinary hospitality extended to me and the members of my party.
Warm personal regards,
Henry A. Kissinger
End text.
3. For the Ambassador: From the Secretary:
I have just received Cairo 3522.3 In your talk with Fahmi I am not so much concerned about your handling every question of his as I am about the broader role we have of keeping him from going to the Security Council. I know in your discussions with him you will not feel compelled to become a nursemaid to all of his specific complaints or provide him with an answer on every one of them. Your being around to listen is a first step in the right direction and you can handle much of what he has to say to you on that basis, again keeping in mind we certainly want to avoid having him seek a Security Council meeting as an alternative.
- Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1178, Harold H. Saunders Files, Middle East Negotiations Files, Middle East—1973 Peace Negotiations, Nov. 11, 1973 through Nov. 15, 1973 [1 of 2]. Secret; Immediate; Nodis; Cherokee. Repeated to the Department of State and to London for Sisco.↩
- See Document 330.↩
- In telegram 3522, November 14, Eilts reported on his talk with Fahmi when he delivered Kissinger’s letter. (National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1178, Harold H. Saunders Files, Middle East Negotiations Files, Middle East—1973 Peace Negotiations, Nov. 11, 1973 through Nov. 15, 1973, [1 of 2])↩