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Records pertain to the Middle East Peace Process.
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285342500
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FG006-01 Case Number 174367 Scanned
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285342500
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FG006-01 Case Number 174367 Scanned
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Records pertain to the Middle East Peace Process.
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Records of the White House Office of Records Management (George H.W. Bush Administration)
Subject Files on White House Office
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Original FOIA Number:
2003-0260-F
6th FOIA Number:
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FOIA
MARKER
This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the George Bush Presidential
Library Staff.
Record Group:
Bush Presidential Records
Office:
Records Management, White House Office of (WHORM)
Series:
Subject File - General
Scanned/Unscanned:
Scanned
WHORM Category Code:
FG006-01
WHORM Category Name:
White House Office
Document Number:
174367
Alpha File Name:
ID# 174367
THE WHITE HOUSE
CORRESPONDENCE TRACKING WORKSHEET
INCOMING
FGod-d
DATE RECEIVED: SEPTEMBER 13, 1990
NAME OF CORRESPONDENT: MR. YOUSEF SALEM
SUBJECT: ASKS THE PRESIDENT TO CONSIDER APPOINTING AN
ARAB AMERICAN AS A LIAISON TO THE WHITE HOUSE
SIMILAR TO THE JEWISH LIAISON OFFICE HERE
ACTION
DISPOSITION
ROUTE TO:
ACT
DATE
TYPE
C COMPLETED
OFFICE/AGENCY
(STAFF NAME)
CODE YY/MM/DD RESP D YY/MM/DD
KATHY JEAVONS
ORG 90/09/13
C90/11/26
REFERRAL NOTE:
99 DOS
A
90/11/26.
30
A
/
/
REFERRAL NOTE:
not dated
/
/
WS
REFERRAL NOTE:
/ /
/ /
REFERRAL NOTE:
/ /
/ /
REFERRAL NOTE:
COMMENTS: WRITER IS CHAIRMAN, PUBLIC RELATIONS,
UNITED MUSLIMS OF AMERICA
ADDITIONAL CORRESPONDENTS:
MEDIA:F INDIVIDUAL CODES: 4900 4400
PL MAIL
USER CODES: (A)
(B)
(C)
*ACTION CODES:
*DISPOSITION
*OUTGOING
*
*
*
*CORRESPONDENCE:
*
*A-APPROPRIATE ACTION
TYPE RESP=INITIALS
*
*A-ANSWERED
*C-COMMENT/RECOM
*B-NON-SPEC-REFERRAL
*
OF SIGNER
*
*C-COMPLETED
*
CODE = A
*
*D-DRAFT RESPONSE
*F-FURNISH FACT SHEET
*COMPLETED = DATE OF
*
*S-SUSPENDED
*
*I-INFO COPY/NO ACT NEC*
OUTGOING
*
*
*
*R-DIRECT REPLY W/COPY *
*
*
*
*S-FOR-SIGNATURE
*
*
*
*X-INTERIM REPLY
REFER QUESTIONS AND ROUTING UPDATES TO CENTRAL REFERENCE
(ROOM 75, OEOB) EXT-2590
KEEP THIS WORKSHEET ATTACHED TO THE ORIGINAL INCOMING
LETTER AT ALL TIMES AND SEND COMPLETED RECORD TO RECORDS
MANAGEMENT.
United States Départment of State
Washington, D.C. 20520
Dear Mr. Salem:
Thank you for your recent letter to the President
expressing your concerns about Arab-American relations and
your hope for a peaceful resolution of the Gulf crisis.
President Bush devoted great personal effort to finding a
diplomatic and peaceful solution to the Gulf crisis. To that
end, he instructed the Secretary of State to meet with Iraqi
Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz in Switzerland on January 9 to
discuss all aspects of the Gulf crisis within the mandate of
the UN resolutions. The Iraqi government made clear in that
meeting and in Saddam Hussein's meeting with the UN Secretary
General, however, that Iraq was unwilling to consider
peacefully withdrawing from Kuwait, abiding by UN Security
Council resolutions and permitting the restoration of Kuwait's
legitimate government.
Saddam Hussein's aggression is a challenge to the rest of
the international community. The majority of Arab and Muslim
nations have called for Iraq's withdrawal from Kuwait, and
many of them have joined the international coalition to bring
about this withdrawal. Working closely with these Arab and
Muslim nations and others, we hope to reverse Hussein's
aggression and thereby help define the world that lies beyond
the Cold War as a place where civilized rules of conduct apply.
As Presidents Bush and Gorbachev stated jointly in
Helsinki: "No peaceful international order is possible if
larger states can devour their smaller neighbors.' Likewise,
if an aggressive state is allowed to sit astride the economic
lifeline of the industrial world, everyone will suffer
profound setbacks to economic growth.
Iraq's aggression is also a regional challenge and must
be reversed to preserve regional peace and security. The
Middle East is an area of unresolved conflicts, sectarian and
social strife, and economic disparities. President Bush knows
well that a peaceful solution to these problems is also
necessary to preserve the security of our friends.
Mr. Yousef Salem
1667 Langport Drive
Sunnyvale, CA 94087
I hope this information on the President's policies and
perspective is helpful. I should add, for your information, that
the White House staff serves as the President's liaison to the
widest range of interest groups. President Bush has met twice
with Arab American groups since the Gulf crisis began.
aun Allen Sincerely, Director, L. Keiswetter
Office of Regional Affairs
Bureau of Near Eastern and
South Asian Affairs
UNCLASSIFIED
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT
TRANSMITTAL FORM
9025214
S/S
January 18, 1991 I
Date
FOR: Mr. William F. Sittmann
Executive Secretary
National Security Council Staff
The White House
REFERENCE:
To:
The President
From: Yousef Salem
August 12, 1990
Date:
Arab - American relations and the Gulf crisis
Subject:
WH Referral Dated:
11/30/90
NSCS ID# (if any) :
174367
The attached item was sent directly to the
Department of State.
ACTION TAKEN:
A draft reply is attached.
A draft reply will be forwarded.
A translation is attached.
X
An information copy of a direct reply is attached.
We believe no response is necessary for the reason
cited below.
The Department of State has no objection to the
proposed travel.
Other (see remarks).
REMARKS:
Secretariat Director M. Staff
UNCLASSIFIED
9025214
'90 NOV-30 3:15 PM
THE WHITE HOUSE OFFICE
REFERRAL
NOVEMBER 30, 1990
TO: DEPARTMENT OF STATE
ACTION REQUESTED:
APPROPRIATE ACTION
DESCRIPTION OF INCOMING:
ID:
174367
MEDIA: FAX DATED AUGUST 12, 1990
TO:
PRESIDENT BUSH
FROM:
MR. YOUSEF SALEM
1667 LANGPORT DRIVE
SUNNYVALE CA 94087
SUBJECT: ASKS THE PRESIDENT TO CONSIDER APPOINTING AN
ARAB AMERICAN AS A LIAISON TO THE WHITE HOUSE
SIMILAR TO THE JEWISH LIAISON OFFICE HERE
PROMPT ACTION IS ESSENTIAL -- IF REQUIRED ACTION HAS NOT BEEN
TAKEN WITHIN 9 WORKING DAYS OF RECEIPT, PLEASE TELEPHONE THE
UNDERSIGNED AT 456-7486.
RETURN CORRESPONDENCE, WORKSHEET AND COPY OF RESPONSE
(OR DRAFT) TO:
AGENCY LIAISON, ROOM 91, THE WHITE HOUSE, 20500
SALLY KELLEY
DIRECTOR OF AGENCY LIAISON
PRESIDENTIAL CORRESPONDENCE
141 P01
SEP 11 '90 23:42
174367
President George Bush
Yousef Salem
White House
1667 Langport Dr.
K.Jeavons
Washington, DC
Sunnyvale, CA 94087
August 12, 1990
(408) 736-3555
Dear Mr. President,
This evening you stated in your address to Congress that
Iraq will fail if we engaged in war. Did we not have a far
superior air force, naval force and infantry strength when we
warred with Viet Nam for ten years and ultimately had to
withdraw in humiliating defeat, licking our wounds?
And, when we shelled Beirut and landed our Marines in
Lebanon did we not have to withdraw, again in humiliating
defeat, again licking our wounds? Does Lebanon have an air
force? A navy? a massive infantry? Submarines? Bombers?
Aircraft carriers? F-115e's, F111's, B-1's? A massive tank
or armored divisions? No? Isn't it a fact that ONE man
defeated us in Lebanon when he drove a dynamite-filled car
into our Marine barracks killing over 250 of our young men?
You mentioned that Iraqi president Saddam Hussein will
not be allowed to control the price of oil in his very own
country. Shouldn't he also be able to claim that you will
not be able to control the price of U.S. grain? No? Then
doesn't it seem foolish for us to make such rash threats?
You also mentioned the control (and hopefully the
complete removal) of chemical and nuclear weapons in the
region. Might I assume that as President of the world's
greatest nation you will also demand the same of Israel, that
led the development of nuclear and chemical weapons in the
region funded by our government excuse me, by the
American taxpayers? Isn't their non-conventional weapons
build-up, along with our financing their development of the
Jericho and Arrow missiles to deliver them upon any Arab or
Islamic country at whim, the primary reason why Iraq also is
building up it's non-conventional weapons? After all, Israel
did bomb Iraq and Tunis in violation of international law and
the U.N. Charter.
Can you please explain to me, Mr. President, why the US
did not accept President Hussein's offer to destroy all of
his non-conventional weapopns if Israel did the same? Did
this not in fact occur on April 13, 1990 when President
Hussein invited several US Senators to meet with him in
Mosul, Iraq?
Have you ever considered appointing an Arab American as
a liaison to the White House, to advise you on Arab affairs
in the same manner that the Jewish liaison advises the White
141 P02
SEP 11 '90 23:43
House? And, a Muslim liaison as well?
Have you ever invited a delegation of Muslims to meet
with you to advance your understanding of a much
misunderstood and often maligned religious community? why
are Muslims never invited to your prayer breakfasts? Would
it not be of great advantage to you to appoint an Ambassador
of Goodwill to the Middle East that will promote a greater
understanding between both cultures? Isn't a handshake a
greater tool of forming a New World Order than a gun muzzle?
I feel fortunate to have been born in this grand,
beautiful country. I am so proud to be an American, but
sometimes I am not very proud of America's conduct. Every
day of my life I pray for peace and I pray that God Bless
America. I had the great pleasure of shaking your hand as
you exited the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco just before
your election. Ever since I also pray that God Bless you,
Mr. President, and to endow you with His Guidance.
Lastly, I have written to you so many times. Why have
you never answered my letters? I have written to you on a
personal basis as well as an official basis in my capacity as
Public Relations Chairman for United Muslims of America. I
will try to get your attention by fax this time as opposed to
mail.
I ask you, Mr. President, in the name of peace, and in
the name of God Almighty, to please use the power of a hand
shake, not the threat of a gun muzzle.
Hoping to receive a response from you I reamin yours
truly,
ymarfolm Yousef Salem
Chairman- Public Relations
United mushims of America