Syrian-Israeli Disengagement Agreement, January–May 1974


79. Memorandum From the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft) to President Nixon

Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, CL 155, Geopolitical File, Israel, May 1974. Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. Sent for information.


80. Letter From Secretary of State Kissinger to Syrian President Asad

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Records of Joseph Sisco, Box 32, Briefing Book: Syrian-Israeli Disengagement Documents, Under Secretary Sisco. Secret.


81. Letter From President Nixon to Syrian President Asad

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Records of Joseph Sisco, Box 32, Briefing Book: Syrian-Israeli Disengagement Documents, Under Secretary Sisco. Secret. According to Kissinger’s memoirs, all documents associated with the agreement had to be complete by May 29. (Years of Upheaval, p. 1106)


82. Letter From Secretary of State Kissinger to Syrian President Asad

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Records of Joseph Sisco, Box 33, Briefing Book: Syrian-Israeli Disengagement, 1974, Folder 2. No classification marking. According to Kissinger’s memoirs, all documents associated with the agreement had to be complete by May 29. (Years of Upheaval, p. 1106)


83. U.S. Proposal

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Records of Joseph Sisco, Box 32, Briefing Book: Syrian-Israeli Disengagement Documents, Under Secretary Sisco. Secret. Eban wrote the city and date by hand to the left of his signature. Another copy of the U.S. Proposal, sent to Syria, is signed by Lieutenant General Youssef Shakkut, Chief of Staff of the Syrian Arab Army. (Ibid.)


84. Memorandum of Understanding

Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, CL 192, Geopolitical File, Middle East, Peace Negotiations, Israeli-Syrian Relations, Disengagement Agreement, May to September 1974. Secret. Initialed by Henry Kissinger and Simcha Dinitz, apparently on May 29 or 30 in Israel before Kissinger departed for Egypt on May 30.


85. Letter from Secretary of State Kissinger to Israeli Prime Minister Meir

Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, CL 155, Geopolitical File, Israel, May 1974. No classification marking.


86. Memorandum From the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft) to President Nixon

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 45, HAK Trip Files, Middle East Memos and Security, April 28–May 31, 1974. Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only.


87. Letter From President Nixon to Israeli Prime Minister Meir

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 136, Country Files, Middle East, Dinitz, January 1–July 1, 1974. Secret. A handwritten notation at the top of the first page reads, “Peter Rodman hand delivered to Min. Shalev 6/9/74, 5:00 p.m.” A handwritten notation at the bottom of the second page reads, “I shall look forward to seeing you in a few days.”


88. Syrian-Israeli Disengagement Agreement

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Records of Joseph Sisco, Box 32, Briefing Book: Syrian-Israeli Disengagement Documents, Under Secretary Sisco. No classification marking. All three signers, Shafir, Shihabi, Siilasvuo, initialed each page. The agreement, accompanying protocol (Document 89), and attached map (Document 90) were published in the New York Times, May 31, 1974. For the final map agreed to by the Syrians and the Israelis, see Appendix B, Map 2.


89. Protocol to the Syrian-Israeli Disengagement Agreement

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Records of Joseph Sisco, Box 32, Briefing Book: Syrian-Israeli Disengagement Documents, Under Secretary Sisco. No classification marking. All three signers, Shafir, Shihabi, and Siilasvuo, initialed each page. There is an addendum to the protocol sent from President Nixon to Prime Minister Meir that states “the Government of Syria agrees to the following on a reciprocal and identical basis: 1. It will refrain from placing any weapons, including SAM’s, which can reach the defense line of the other side in an additional ten-kilometer zone beyond the western edge of the agreed zone of limitation. 2. It agrees that the UNP shall conduct regular inspections to assure compliance with this provision.” There is no signature. (Ibid., Box 33, Briefing Book: Syrian-Israeli Disengagement, 1974, Folder 2)


90. Map of the Syrian-Israeli Disengagement Lines

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Records of Joseph Sisco, Box 32, Briefing Book: Syrian-Israeli Disengagement Documents, Under Secretary Sisco. Secret; No Foreign Dissem. The map accompanying the May 31 Syrian-Israeli Disengagement Agreement contained only lines A, A–1, and B. The additional lines—the dots, dots and dashes, and dashes on the west and east sides of the area of separation—represent the zones of troops and armament limitations.


91. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1029, Presidential/HAK Memcons, May 8–31, 1974, Folder 1. Secret. The meeting was held at the White House. Brackets are in the original. A list of attendees is in the President’s Daily Diary. (Ibid., White House Central Files)