510. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson1

Mr. President:

I have talked with Nick Katzenbach; and he tells me that he and Sect. Rusk wish you to be brought up to date on the following:

1.
It looks as though the Soviet Union and Nasser are moving away at this time from a mutually acceptable resolution; and they may put on the table of the Security Council at any time the Indian draft resolution (Tab A).2
2.
On the face of it, the Indian resolution looks not unreasonable; but it is unacceptable to the Israelis because it gives priority to a call for withdrawal of Israeli forces to the pre-June 5 positions, and it is much less precise on the question of the recognition of Israel and the termination of belligerency.
3.
Arthur Goldberg does not wish to get into a tactical position of looking negative and defensive in the face of the Indian resolution, and he may wish to pre-empt the Indian resolution by placing his resolution on the table (Tab B).3
4.
Secretary Rusk and Nick, therefore, wish your clearance, on a contingency basis, for Arthur to proceed if the tactical situation demands it.
5.
A somewhat fuller explanatory memo to me from the State Department Secretariat is attached (Tab C).4

Walt

Clearance to pre-empt, if necessary, granted5

No

See me

  1. Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Agency File, United Nations, Vol. 7. Secret. A handwritten note on the memorandum indicates it was received at 7:30 p.m.
  2. “Indian Draft Resolution,” November 6; not printed.
  3. “Draft U.S. Resolution,” undated; not printed.
  4. Memorandum from Walsh to Walt Rostow, November 6; not printed.
  5. This option is checked; a handwritten note on the memorandum states that Katzenbach was notified on November 7.