164. National Security Study Memorandum 1031

TO

  • The Secretary of State
  • The Secretary of Defense
  • The Director of Central Intelligence

SUBJECT

  • Future Options in the Middle East

The President has directed that a review of our options in the Middle East be conducted quickly before resumption of any significant diplomatic activity in connection with efforts to produce a diplomatic settlement.

This review should take into account violations of the military standstill agreement, recent developments in Jordan and Soviet actions.

The President has directed that a memorandum containing the results of this review be submitted to the Senior Review Group by October 8, 1970, through the NSC–IG–Near East.2

Henry A. Kissinger
  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–175, National Security Study Memoranda. Secret; Nodis. A copy was sent to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. On November 13, Kissinger issued NSSM 105, an addendum to NSSM 103, which asked that a paper be prepared on the status of the U.S. response to a list of Israeli requests for economic assistance. (Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box CL–316, National Security Council, National Security Study Memoranda)
  2. An analytical summary of the memorandum is Document 170. The Senior Review Group and the Washington Special Actions Group met in a combined session to discuss the Middle East on October 9; see Document 168.