236. Letter From President Nixon to King Hussein of Jordan1

Your Majesty:

I was pleased to hear from Secretary Rogers about the warm welcome he received in Jordan and about the usefulness of his visit there and in other countries in that part of the world.2 His assessment of the results of his trip is encouraging and we are hopeful that progress will be made in the months ahead. You can be sure that we will have Jordanian concerns very much in mind as we do our part to help achieve that goal.

As to our efforts to help achieve a peaceful settlement, we are proceeding on the basis of the policy announced by the Secretary of State on December 9, 19693 and my own report to the Congress on February 25 of this year.4 I know that you have had a full report of where matters stand with respect to current discussions looking towards an interim Suez Canal agreement.5 Secretary Rogers has reported to me your view, with which we agree, that any interim settlement not become a substitute for a final comprehensive agreement. He has also reported to me fully your concern over developments in Jerusalem.6 I understand that you have been getting reports on Secretary Rogers’ and Assistant [Page 866] Secretary Sisco’s conversations with the Israelis on this matter,7 and I believe it is important that we continue to exchange views in light of on-going efforts to achieve an overall settlement of the dispute.

With regard to your letter of May 1,8 I understand that the subject of increasing and expediting financial assistance to Jordan was discussed in your conversation with Secretary Rogers and that he explained our difficulties in making available sooner the $15 million in supporting assistance which we propose for disposition in July. As you know, on the assumption that it will be needed, I have proposed that an additional sum of $15 million in supporting assistance be made available to Jordan at a later date this calendar year.

I share your concern with the continued non-resumption of the Kuwaiti subsidy. We are prepared to follow up further efforts that you make to bring about a renewal of this subsidy and we hope that this matter can be resolved at an early date.

Please accept my assurance that my Government will continue to view Jordan’s needs most sympathetically. We will continue to do our very best to be as forthcoming as possible in providing necessary assistance.9

With best personal regards,

Sincerely,

Richard Nixon
  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 797, Presidential Correspondence 1969–1974, Jordan—King Hussein. No classification marking.
  2. See footnote 4, Document 230.
  3. See Document 73.
  4. See footnote 6, Document 211.
  5. Sisco briefed Rifai on May 18 and then briefed Sharaf the following day. (Telegram 87901 to Amman, May 20; National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 616, Country Files, Middle East, Jordan, Vol. VII; and telegram 88358 to Amman, May 20; ibid., Box 1163, Saunders Files, Middle East Negotiations Files, Middle East—Jarring Talks, May 10–18, 1971)
  6. Rogers first reported Hussein’s concerns about Jerusalem in telegram 3692 from Beirut, May 4, which Haig forwarded to the President on May 5; see footnote 4, Document 230.
  7. In their May 18 meeting with Rabin, Rogers and Sisco made it clear that they “tended to agree” with the Jordanian view of “de facto steps being taken in Jerusalem by Israel which in their judgment prejudiced overall settlement.” (Telegram 87261 to Tel Aviv, May 19; National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1163, Saunders Files, Middle East Negotiations Files, Middle East—Jarring Talks, May 10–18, 1971)
  8. In his letter, Hussein thanked Nixon for arranging the $30 million in assistance funds for Jordan. The King worried, however, that, since Kuwait’s subsidy to Jordan looked “increasingly unlikely to be resumed,” the $30 million promised by the United States would no longer be enough to cover Jordan’s budget deficit of that same amount. Thus, Hussein asked that the second half of the $30 million not be made “contingent upon any conditions in the future,” but rather that Jordan be given a “firm commitment” on the second installment. (Telegram 2122 from Amman, May 1; ibid., RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, ORG 7 S AID (US) JORDAN)
  9. Brown delivered the President’s message to Hussein on June 5 at noon, but their conversation revolved around Israeli settlements in Jerusalem and whether to take the issue to the UN Security Council. (Telegram 2662 from Amman, June 5; ibid., Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1163, Saunders Files, Middle East Negotiations Files, Middle East—Jarring Talks, June 1–18, 1971)