180. Editorial Note

The President held his weekly luncheon meeting from 1:25 to 3 p.m. on June 6, 1967, with Secretary Rusk, Secretary McNamara, George Christian, and Walt Rostow. (Johnson Library, President’s Daily Diary) No record of the discussion has been found. The agenda prepared by Rostow for the meeting listed the Middle East as the first topic of discussion, with “Jordan,” “Oil,” and “Forward planning and strategy” as subtopics. Rostow’s handwritten notes on his copy of the agenda indicate that they discussed the creation of the NSC Special Committee, which was announced on June 7. The words “Cuba missile crisis” are followed by the names “Mac,” “Clark,” and “Dean.” This is followed by a list of names, led by “DR, chair,” and “MB[undy], ex sec.” The words [Page 331] “Oil Dictator” appear next to the name “Arthur Dean,” with “Gene Black” written underneath. Below are the words “Canal” and “oil.” The words “UN observer” appear with the word “carriers” underneath. Battle’s and McCloskey’s names appear with the note, “Tighten rein.” The words “think out” are attached to “Forward planning and strategy.” Notes on an attached page include the words “Arthur Dean—oil—Gene Black?” and the name “Levy” (oil expert Walter Levy). The notations “UAR” and “Algeria” suggest that the news that both countries had broken relations was received at the meeting. (Ibid., National Security File, Rostow Files, Meetings with the President, January–June 1967)

Iraq, Kuwait, and Algeria announced the suspension of oil deliveries to the United States and United Kingdom on June 6. A Conference of Oil Ministers from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Algeria, the UAR, Syria, Lebanon, and representatives from Bahrain, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi declared in a June 5 communiqué that Arab oil should be denied to countries committing aggression or participating in aggression against any Arab state, including any armed attack by any country in support of Israel, and that the direct or indirect involvement of any country in armed aggression against the Arab states would make the assets of its companies and nationals inside the territories of the Arab countries subject to the laws of war. The text of the communiqué is in airgram A–804 from Baghdad, June 6. (National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 27 ARAB–ISR) For related documentation, see the compilation on the 1967 oil embargo in Foreign Relations, 1964–1968, volume XXXIV, Documents 228268.