Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume E–9, Part 2, Documents on the Middle East Region, 1973–1976

115. Letter From President Nixon to King Faisal of Saudi Arabia¹

Washington, August 2, 1974.

Your Majesty:

Now that I have had an opportunity to reflect on my trips to the Middle East and the Soviet Union, I feel it is time to follow up my very helpful discussions with you in Jidda and your letter of June 30 by further sharing with you some of our thoughts about the months ahead.

First of all, as I told Your Majesty, we are fully committed to maintaining the steady pace of the peace negotiations that have produced the agreements of the past six months. They are only first steps, but they have been important in establishing a process of negotiation for the first time in a quarter of a century in the Middle East. Without this process, it is difficult to see how concrete steps could be taken toward peace. That is why it has been necessary to expend so much time and effort in establishing and consolidating the negotiating practices which have now begun to show results.

Now that this foundation has been laid, we are deeply conscious of the need to move forward in a way that will strengthen the process. In the next several weeks, we shall hold detailed consultations in Washington with Foreign Minister Allon, Prime Minister Rifai, Foreign Minister Fahmy and a representative of President Asad. The purpose of these discussions will be to reach understandings on how we should now proceed.

As Your Majesty knows, it is planned that the Middle East Peace Conference will resume its work in Geneva this fall. We are keenly aware how important it is for reaching agreement on a durable peace that the issues of withdrawal, final borders, security, the interests of the Palestinians, the status of Jerusalem and the long-term relationships among states in the area be addressed constructively and decisively at successive stages of the negotiations, as the time for each becomes ripe and the necessary groundwork is laid. Our efforts now are being directed at working out with the members of the Conference how best to structure the negotiations so that they may lead toward a final settlement.

Your Majesty is well aware of our judgment that great care must be exercised in assuring that each step is taken when adequate support has been developed for the decisions that are required. This judgment has led us to the view that it is important to move steadily a step at a time, attempting at each point in the negotiation to achieve what is realistic. I am sure Your Majesty will recognize the wisdom of building on a solid foundation.

I am aware of Your Majesty’s concerns about the situation in Egypt, on which I will be communicating with you separately, as well as about the recent violence on the border between Israel and Lebanon and about developments in the occupied territories. We have been exercising our influence to calm the situation and bring an end to the violence, and we will continue to do so. With respect to the occupied territories, we have repeatedly made clear—and this remains our policy—that we do not accept any unilateral action by any of the parties in the area as predetermining the outcome of a final settlement. I know Your Majesty will understand why it is important, in the interest of our continuing to play an effective peacemaking role, that our efforts in these areas of concern to you be carried out with discretion in quiet diplomatic ways.

Finally, Your Majesty, as our consultations with the parties to the Geneva Conference proceed, we will want to discuss further with your Government the next steps in the negotiations. Meanwhile, I wanted to keep Your Majesty advised of the fact that, now that I have returned from Moscow, we are moving promptly to assure that steady progress in the negotiations is maintained.

Sincerely,

Richard Nixon

1. Summary: President Nixon provided King Faisal with an update on negotiations among Israel and the Arab states.

   Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 761, Presidential Correspondence, 1969–74, Saudi Arabia, Faisal 1972. No classification marking. Kissinger forwarded this letter to Nixon under a July 30 covering memorandum, with the recommendation that he sign it. According to Kissinger’s memorandum, this letter was to be sent in response to the Embassy in Jidda’s report that Faisal was dissatisfied with the pace of negotiations, given recent Israeli military strikes in Lebanon, and had received renewed calls for an oil embargo. (Ibid.) Faisal’s June 30 letter to Nixon is ibid., RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P850086–2236.