Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume XXIX, Eastern Europe; Eastern Mediterranean, 1969–1972

217. Memorandum From the Presidentʼs Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon¹

Washington, February 12, 1970.

SUBJECT

• Secretary Rogersʼ Meeting with Tito

The Secretary met with President Tito in Addis Ababa² and discussed the Middle East situation and several other subjects. He has sent you a brief account which is attached.³ He was impressed with Titoʼs vigor, humor and friendliness. After the Secretary expressed your active interest in visiting Yugoslavia and the problem of fixing a date, Tito said his invitation was open and was now renewed.

On the Middle East Tito stressed he had told Nasser since 1967 that the Arabs should recognize Israelʼs right to live and send ships through the Canal. Though Tito finds the Israelis more at fault currently, the Secretary feels Tito is exerting a beneficial influence on Nasser.

Tito was somewhat critical at the slowness of U.S. firms in responding to projects for joint industrial ventures in Yugoslavia.⁴

We have recently had reports of tension in Yugoslav-Soviet relations but Tito said that his relations with Moscow were now satisfactory. He continues to favor a European security conference, but agrees that it should be held only if it produces results.

1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 733, Country Files—Europe, Yugoslavia, Vol. I through Jul 70. Confidential.
2. Rogers was in Ethiopia for meetings with Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie and his government. He addressed a meeting of the Organization of African Unity on February 12. Tito also addressed this meeting.
3. Attached but not printed.
4. The President underlined this sentence and added a handwritten note: “K—I am very much in favor of exploiting this in Yugoslavia fully. If it works there it might be the device by which we can work with Rumania & other E. European countries—Can we get a report from Stans & Kearns on this?—Get some steam behind it.” In a March 3 memorandum to the Secretaries of State and Commerce and the President of the Export-Import Bank, Kissinger noted the Presidentʼs “great interest” in encouraging private investment in Yugoslavia and requested a report on this issue. (National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 733, Country Files—Europe, Yugoslavia, Vol. I through Jul 70)