Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XXI, Near East Region; Arabian Peninsula

404. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Yemen¹

Washington, July 23, 1966, 10:44 a.m.

13996. Subject: Request for US Financial Aid. Ref: Taiz 79,² 80.³

1. While sympathizing with Yemeni efforts establish moderate government, believe it most important we avoid any impression of partisan involvement in factional Yemeni domestic politics. On this basis you should continue discourage requests for US assistance such as reported reftels.

2. If responsible YARG group subsequently requests UN role, we would be willing consider sympathetically what we could do to help in light of circumstances at time of request.

Rusk

1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964-66, POL 27 YEMEN. Secret. Drafted by Moore on July 22, cleared by Davies and Campbell, and approved by Hare. Repeated to Cairo, Jidda, London, Aden, Dhahran, and CINCSTRIKE.
2. Telegram 79 from Taiz, July 18, reported that an approach had been made to Embassy AID Director Benz by a representative of a group of Yemeni republicans, who informed him that they were urgently considering the possibility of forming a new government against UAR wishes and wanted to know whether they could depend on friends like the U.S. Government and Saudi Arabia to help them financially. Benz replied that as AID director, he was unable to respond to this request but agreed to forward the request to Washington. (Ibid.)
3. In telegram 80 from Taiz, July 18, Chargé d’Affaires Harlan B. Clark argued that unless Nasser and Faisal reached agreement, the proposed attempt to free Yemen of its financial dependence on the United Arab Republic would bring the United States into direct confrontation with Nasser, which might cause troubles elsewhere in the Near East. (Ibid.)