Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XIX, Arab-Israeli Crisis and War, 1967

531. Telegram From the Department of State to the U.S. Interests Section of the Spanish Embassy in the United Arab Republic ¹

Washington, November 18, 1967, 2003Z.

71775. Ref: Cairo’s 982.²

You are authorized give Heykal for passage to Nasser categoric affirmative to his inquiry whether USG would give same measure of political and economic support to UK draft resolution presently before SC that it committed itself to do with regard US draft resolution.

In respect to Cairo’s 989,³ you should make clear to El Feki that absolutely no further change can be made in UK text and that UAR should grasp opportunity in UK text now; furthermore, there can be no assurance of our political support on behalf that resolution at some future time. Now is the moment of decision in respect to UK draft.⁴

Rusk

1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 27–14 ARAB–ISR/UN. Secret; Flash; Nodis. Drafted by Walsh; cleared by Goldberg, Battle, Sisco, and Katzenbach; and approved by Rusk. Also sent Flash to USUN.
2. Telegram 982 from Cairo, November 18, reported that Al Ahram editor Mohamed Heikal had told Bergus that morning that the UAR Government had studied with great interest the remarks Bergus had made to Salah Hassan on November 13 (see footnote 6, Document 521), and that Nasser had asked him to ascertain whether the U.S. Government would give the same measure of political and diplomatic support to the UK draft resolution that it had committed itself to do with regard to the U.S. draft resolution. (National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 27–14 ARAB–ISR/UN)
3. Telegram 989 to Cairo, November 18, reported that in a meeting between Bergus and El Feki, the latter discussed the “need for very minor adjustments” in the language of the UK draft resolution and told Bergus that it was essential that the UAR Government be assured that the U.S. Government would give the same support to the implementation of the UK draft resolution as it had promised to give to the U.S. resolution. (Ibid., POL 27 ARAB–ISR)
4. Telegram 992 from Cairo, November 19, reported that the substance of telegram 71775 had been delivered to Heikal and the Foreign Office. (Ibid., POL 27 ARAB–ISR/UN)