Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume XXXVI, Energy Crisis, 1969–1974

308. Draft Telegram From the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft) to Secretary of State Kissinger in Panama¹

Washington, February 7, 1974.

1. Haig has just come back from talking with the President. The President wishes to call the Saudi Ambassador into the Map Room, hand him the letter² and tell him, in essence, that we have kept our commitments and we now expect the Saudis to keep theirs.

2. I told Al that this was a bad idea, that, as he had seen from the traffic I had shown him, the Saudis were coming along and that a move by the President himself could hardly be helpful. Al’s response was that the alternatives he was facing were this or John Connally and that he thought this almost completely harmless by comparison.

3. Al has asked that we prepare some talking points for the President to use in meeting with the Saudi Ambassador.³ I can probably stall until late afternoon, but Al says the President is quite determined to move today.

4. Would appreciate your thoughts.

1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 139, Country Files, Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Dec 73–Feb 74. Top Secret; Flash; Sensitive. The draft was approved by Scowcroft for transmission as a Tohak. The telegram as sent has not been found.
2. Document 307.
3. A February 7 memorandum prepared by Scowcroft, marked “The President has seen.” (National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 139, Country Files, Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Dec 73–Feb 74)