Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume XXV, Arab-Israeli Crisis and War, 1973

388. Letter From President Nixon to Israeli Prime Minister Meir¹

Washington, December 13, 1973.

Dear Madame Prime Minister:

I have read Ambassador Keating’s report of his conversation with Foreign Minister Eban regarding Israel’s objections to the joint U.S.–USSR letter to the Secretary General which would convene the Geneva conference on December 18.² I am also aware of your oral note to Secretary Kissinger objecting to the letter.³ I must tell you in all candor I am disturbed over these reports. For weeks we have been in intensive negotiations, and we have achieved with great difficulty a draft letter which protects fully all of Israel’s vital interests.

Of the three issues which Foreign Minister Eban has raised, we have achieved the deletion of the words “and 339.” However, the other two points cannot be accomplished. Your Foreign Minister has said that your Government is opposed to the greatly enhanced role which the letter accords to the UN and the Secretary General. But the letter does not do this. The Secretary General does not have a substantial role. His role is specifically limited and symbolic. Moreover, you must appreciate, Madame Prime Minister, that this conference is being convened under Resolution 338 and it is unavoidable that in this sense it should be convened under UN auspices.

As to your final suggestion that the sentence providing for discussion of participation of the Palestinians during the first stage of the conference be deleted, I want to stress that the present formulation does not in any way prejudge the question. This is a major achievement since all other participants wanted the letter to embrace a decision in principle in favor of Palestinian representation. Moreover, as you know, in accordance with accepted international procedure the participation at an appropriate stage of the conference of any possible additional state, group or organization will require the agreement of all the initial participants, who will have the right to decline to negotiate with any state, group or organization to whose participation they have not agreed. I have approved a formal understanding to this effect.

I conclude with this final thought, Madame Prime Minister. I want to say to you in all solemnity that if Israel now fails to take a favorable decision to participate in the conference on the basis of the letter that we have worked out, this will not be understood either in the United States or in the world and I will not be able to justify the support which I have consistently rendered in our mutual interests to your Government.

I urge that you transmit promptly your favorable reply.

Richard Nixon

December 14, 1973–January 10, 1974

1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 136, Country Files, Middle East, Dinitz, December 1–December 31, 1973. No classification marking. A handwritten notation on the letter indicates that Scowcroft handed it to Shalev at 6:45 p.m. on December 13.
2. See footnote 2, Document 387.
3. See footnote 4, Document 387.