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August 29, 1974 - Ford, Kissinger, Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Umar al-Saqqaf
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August 29, 1974 - Ford, Kissinger, Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Umar al-Saqqaf
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Memoranda of Conversations (Nixon and Ford Administrations)
Ford Administration Memoranda of Conversations
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File scanned from the National Security Adviser's Memoranda of Conversation Collection at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
MEMORANDUM
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
SECRET XGDS
MEMORANDUM OF CONVERSATION
PARTICIPANTS:
Umar al-Saqqaf, Minister of State for
Foreign Affairs, Saudi Arabia
President Gerald Ford
Dr. Henry A. Kissinger, Secretary of State
and Assistant to the President for National
Security Affairs
Lt. General Brent Scowcroft, Deputy Assistant
to the President for National Security Affairs
DATE & TIME:
Thursday, August 29, 1974
4:08 - 4:45 p.m.
PLACE:
The Oval Office
The White House
President: When did you get here?
Saqqaf: Yesterday. We stopped overnight in London. I saw the King
just two days ago.
President: It is amazing how fast you can get places now.
stateleview
father's advice.
DECLASSIFIED
E.O. 12958, SEC. 3.5
NBC Bilda MEMO, 11/24/98, STATE CEFT. GUIDELINES 3/9/04
I speak for all Americans when I say we are grateful for the help of
His Majesty over all this period. We consider that with your country
and the King we have a very good relationship.
NARA, DATE 3/31/04
Saqqaf: We are glad to hear this, because the King has the same feelings
towards the United States. His Majesty was first here in '43 and has
always followed this policy of friendship for America. This was his
In our assessment we have never felt the U.S. was not friendly to us.
President: We feel the same about Saudi Arabia.
a
FORD
SECRET- XGDS
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TOP SECRET XGDS (3)
CLASSIFIED BY: HENRY A. KISSINGER
SECRET - XGDS
2
Saqqaf: We have had some difficulty but never because of problems
between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, but always because of a third party --
in the Suez business it was France and Britain. We always felt the U.S.
was a good friend and we need to keep this friendship. This is not just
my feeling but that of the King, his supporters and the people. No one
can not respect the U.S. and its people. We were looking forward to
an offer from Dr. Kissinger and President Nixon for help in the Middle
East. We think now is the time for more cooperation. Dr. Kissinger
has done things that no one would have dreamt could be done.
President: No one.
Kissinger: I must say, Omar's advice has been the best in the Middle
East. Before we move, we always check with him. Besides his friendship.
President: His Majesty has always kept his word, even when we maybe
didn't like it. That is a great ingredient in friendship and trust.
Saqqaf: The King appreciates your letter and your pledge of the
continuity of your policy. We know it is not a one-man policy, but it is
reassuring. I was happy after the press conference yesterday. We
weren't expecting a change in your policy. We are your friends we
know what the Soviet Union wants. They want to buy time and let things
fester -- and use Iraq and Yemen. They do unbelievable things. Eventually
that will help us. There is a vacuum which we don't want filled by any
other power. We are opposed to any other bases in the area -- by the
Soviet Union, the British, or anyone. Unfortunately, we see everyone
leaving but the Soviet Union. They have established bases in Somalia
and Yemen.
President: As I said yesterday in my press conference, we must have
a presence there. The Soviet Union is there already and we must be
there to moderate it. Tell the King that President Nixon was very
effective and it was done with the skill, patience and help of Secretary
Kissinger. It was done under difficult circumstances. The King should
know my relationship with Dr. Kissinger is good and his policies will
be supported by me.
Saqqaf: We never doubted it. As a friend I was pleased, but I am also
speaking of public opinion in the Arab world. We all were happy and
relieved to know he was staying.
President: Dr. Kissinger's popularity has gone down in Israel.
FORD
a
SECRET XGDS
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Saqqaf: Off the record, I will convert you and you will convert me.
Kissinger: The King is working on me.
Saqqaf: We are a small country and the Arabs do not count that much.
We know when you do something you do it after thought. The more
things go in the Arab-Israeli negotiation, the more relaxed we become.
President: We will continue.
Saqqaf: I am 100% sure the Soviet Union can't do anything between now
and the Arab Summit, which will be on the 24th of October. After seeing
you and Henry, it is much easier for me to explain everything.
Kissinger: I explained to Omar our domestic situation -- that the Jewish
community would try to drive a wedge between you and me and the Vice
President -- they couldn't do it but they would try. We couldn't push
during the election. You would talk tough to Rabin, I would talk in
September and October and then move into high gear in November. Omar
thought he could handle this time schedule. Omar has been a great help
with the Syrians. They and Egypt have a kind of rivalry, and Saudi
Arabia has been most helpful.
Omar, I lost credit with the President because Khaddam turned out to
be so nice.
President: Henry had told me the Syrians were the most difficult to
deal with.
Saqqaf: I went to Damascus and talked to Asad. I talked him out of
sending a military man. This could be very helpful -- it will calm
Khaddam a lot.
Kissinger: I think Omar and Egypt can manage the summit and then we
can go into high gear in November.
Saqqaf: Our goal is to solve this by peaceful means. We cannot have
another miracle. The miracle was Henry getting the disengagement
agreements, especially with the Syrians. It is the principle -- once
Israel gives a meter, the principle is established.
Kissinger: Never before has Israel given up a meter.
FORD
SECRET XGDS
GERALD LIBRARY a
SEGRET XGDS
4
Saqqaf: Once the people see that there is progress and a chance to live
in peace, we will be okay. Israel will see that no one wants to throw
them into the sea. Throughout history people have come in from outside.
This time by the use of force, but the Arabs are patient and we will call
them guests.
President: There are two things. We hope we don't have an embargo
again. We understand the circumstances last time, but we hope there
is no repeat. It would be very serious. And then about prices.
Saqqaf: I have been asked that question several times. I have said that
oil is not a toy to play with. We used it once and we succeeded; if we
use it again without reason we punish ourselves as well. To me it is
not going to happen. I don't decide the policy of my country, but I am
ninety-nine percent sure.
President: That is reaseuring.
Saqqaf: Once somebody starts firing.
President: That is different. I believe the American people have a
growing friendship for the Arabs and I would hate to see it harmed by
something.
Saqqaf: No, things are going better. And in the Gulf things are good.
And we hope the time will come when Syria will have dialogues aside
from the Israeli-Arab context.
Kissinger: We are beginning with them. We have a rudimentary Joint
Commission with them, and if we can we will give them PL 480, to get
a US presence
Saqqaf: That is good because the Soviet Union is pushing them to do
something reckless.
President: We will know in a month what we can do with our crops
to help our friends.
Saqqaf: I talked to Marei, the head of the World Food Organization.
I promised to help all I could. We are doing what we can to make life
easier for others. This embargo -- this is not the way we think. If
this issue is raised in the Arab League, it will mean a fight, I would
never have.
FORD
a
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Kissinger: I told him it would play into radical hands leading to a
confrontation between us and the embargoers.
Saqqaf: Some of the Arab countries have no money and no oil and they
took a tough game without responsibility. On price, we were the last
to accept it. The increase was pushed by Venezuela, Indonesia, Iran,
and then the Arabs. I am very tough on this question. The word got out
we would lower the prices. Yamani said we would have an auction before
we make a decision. We would have had major problems with other Arabs.
We will not countenance an increase. There is talk about a surplus. I
don't believe it. Countries come to me and say "we are not getting half
the oil we want." There is an empire of oil. We must be very careful.
The auction was stopped to avoid playing with oil.
Kissinger: An auction could have counter-results. If there is not a
surplus, an auction would drive the price up.
Saqqaf: That was what happened last Spring.
President: Are the joint commissions working well? The one on security
and the one on development?
Saqqaf: Yes. The security one is going well. On the development one,
you have given us ideas. Personally I was expecting more.
Kissinger: Any specific ideas you have, you should let us know.
Saqqaf: I was a member of the last committee. We still have to discuss it.
This is my personal opinion.
Kissinger: We want the maximum cooperation, and maybe we didn't have
enough imagination.
Saqqaf: I wanted it to be more positive and stronger.
Kissinger: Doing it through the bureaucarcy, they always think of what
you can't do. Give me your ideas and I will get them through.
Saqqaf: Some of my thoughts would satisfy the king, and Prince Fahd and
the Crown Prince. We will go as far as you want when the Middle East is
done.
FORD
I have had it from Boumedienne -- whom I respect -- that they have a
?
GERALD
LIBRARY
different lens through which they see the United States. Now they complain
about the Soviet Union. No one can refuse your cooperation. This Palestinian
SEGRET XGDS
SECRET - XGDS
6
thing is the only stumbling block. We don't want to cause you problems
while you get your internal situation set. So between the Arab Summit and
5 November, nothing can happen. I expe ct no problem with Egypt, but
they have to face their problems. Don't give them the idea you are giving
up. I will talk to the Syrians. And Boumedienne. Even Iraq is coming
around. They want to talk with us.
Kissinger: They just settled a problem with Abu Dhabi.
Saqqaf: Concerning price, I will raise it with the King. I can't say any-
thing about it. It would be more important coming from you.
President: We have to keep a healthy economy to exercise world leadership.
If there are problems at home, it is more difficult to exercise our role in
the Middle East and the world.
Saqqaf: I know and I see people taking advantage of it. I know if it hurts
you it hurts us. It is not a matter of billions; it is a matter of balances.
But I don't think any increase will be discussed.
?
SECRET - XGDS
GERALD
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DECLAOSIFIED
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E.O. 12956, SEC. 3.5
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NSC MEMO, 11/24/08, STATE DEPT. GUIDELINES Statilives 3/9/04
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