Office of the Historian

70. Memorandum From the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft) to President Nixon1

Washington, May 23, 1974.

Following is Secretary Kissinger’s report of his Thursday morning talks with the Israelis.

“I have just completed a three-hour session with the Israeli Cabinet.2 They have now moved to a slightly more flexible position on the issue of the thinned out forces. I hope this may enable me to make some further progress in Damascus.

“I am now flying to Damascus where I will make one more major effort with Asad. I will report again this evening.”

  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 45, HAK Trip Files, Middle East Memos and Security, April 28–May 31, 1974. Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. Sent for information.↩
  2. The meeting between the Israeli negotiating team and Kissinger took place on May 23 from 9:05 to 11:50 a.m. at the Prime Minister’s office in Jerusalem. (Memorandum of conversation; ibid., Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1029, Presidential/HAK Memcons, May 8–31, 1974, Folder 1)↩