His Majesty was accompanied by the Court Minister and Chief of the Royal Secretariat His Excellency Ali Mohammed, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance His Excellency Abdullah Malikyar and the Minister for Press and Information His Excellency Savvid Kasem Rishtiya.

During the course of the visit His Majesty had an exchange of views with President Kennedy on matters of mutual interest to Afghanistan and the United States and on the current world situation. The United States has followed with interest and sympathy the efforts being made by Afghanistan, under the leadership of His Majesty, to achieve economic development and social progress. President Kennedy assured His Majesty of the continuing desire of the United States to cooperate with Afghanistan in economic and technical fields and by so doing to contribute to the success of the efforts which Afghanistan is making to provide a better life for its people. In international relations both countries are dedicated to the furtherance of the cause of world peace and to efforts designed to bring about the elimination or reduction of tensions between nations. They are deeply convinced of the indispensable role of the United Nations in advancing the cause of peace and of the necessity of supporting its efforts directed to this end. It was noted that Afghanistan's traditional policy is the safeguarding of its national independence through nonalignment, friendship and cooperation with all countries. The United States for its part places great importance on Afghanistan's continued independence and national integrity.

Both sides agreed that the visit of His Majesty has contributed to better understanding between the United States and Afghanistan and to a strengthening of the already friendly relations existing between the two countries.

IRAN

VII-21

UNITED STATES SUPPORT OF THE SHAH'S "RESOLVE... TO BETTER THE LOT OF [THE IRANIAN] PEOPLE": Message From the President of the United States (Kennedy) to the Shah of Iran (Mohammad Reza Pahlavi), January 29, 1963 18

18

White House press release dated Feb. 13, 1963; the Department of State Bulletin, Mar. 4, 1963, p. 316. The Shah's reply of Jan. 31, 1963, is printed ibid., pp. 316-317. President Kennedy's message congratulated the Shah on his victory in the referendum of Jan. 26, 1963, on his program of reform.

IRAQ

[NOTE: See also ante, doc. VII-9.]

VII-22

UNITED STATES RECOGNITION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF IRAQ, EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 11, 1963: Statement Issued by the Department of State, February 11, 1963 19

The United States Government, taking note of the reaffirmation by the Government of the Republic of Iraq of its intention to honor its international obligations, has today [February 11] decided to recog nize the Government of Iraq and has instructed its Chargé d'Affaires in Baghdad 2 to confirm this decision in writing to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Iraq.22

With its recognition, the United States extends its best wishes for success and prosperity of the Government of Iraq and its hopes that the traditional ties of friendship between the American and Iraqi peoples will be expanded and strengthened.

ISRAEL

[NOTE: See ante, docs. VII-8-15 under section C, "Observance of the Arab-Israel Armistice Agreements of 1949", and section D, "The United Nations Emergency Force".]

19

Department of State press release No. 72 (text as printed in the Department of State Bulletin, Mar. 4, 1963, p. 316). Col. Abdel-Salam Arif led a rebellion which overthrew the Government of Premier Abdul Karim Kassim, Feb. 8, 1963. "Reference to a statement issued by the National Revolutionary Council in Iraq, Feb. 8, which was presented to the U.N. Secretary-General (Thant) by the Representative of Iraq at the U.N. (Pachachi), Feb. 11, 1963; text in American University of Beirut, Lebanon, Arab Political Documents 1963, edited by Walid Khalidi and Yusuf Ibish (Beirut, Slim Press, n.d.), p. 20.

21 Roy M. Melbourne.

22 Not printed.

OMAN

VII-23

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY AD HOC COMMITTEE ON OMAN: U.N. General Assembly Resolution 1948 (XVIII), Adopted December 11, 1963 23

The General Assembly,

Having discussed the question of Oman,

Having heard the petitioners,

Deeply concerned with the situation existing in Oman,

Taking note of the report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General 24 and thanking him for his efforts,

Taking into consideration the fact that in the report it is recognized that in the course of his mission the Special Representative did not have the time to evaluate the territorial, historical and political issues involved in the problem, nor did he consider himself competent to do so,

1. Decides to establish an Ad Hoc Committee composed of five Member States appointed by the President of the General Assembly to examine the question of Oman; 25

2. Calls upon all the parties concerned to co-operate with the Ad Hoc Committee by all possible means, including that of facilitating visits to the area;

3. Requests the Ad Hoc Committee to report to the General Assembly at its nineteenth session;

4. Requests the Secretary-General to render all necessary assistance to the Ad Hoc Committee.

1277th plenary meeting.

U.N. General Assembly Official Records, Eighteenth Session, Supplement No. 15 (A/5515), pp. 48-49. This resolution, sponsored by the representatives of 13 member states, was adopted by a vote of 96 to 1 (U.K.), with 4 abstentions (including the U.S.). The United States abstained from voting on this resolution because "the measures proposed in it were unnecessary" in view of the fact that the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (de Ribbing) had not observed "any evidence of active fighting in the area." (U.N. docs. A/C.4/SR. 1501, p. 484 and A/C.4/SR.1508, p. 533.)

"Herbert de Ribbing visited Oman during May and June 1963 and submitted his report to the U.N. Secretary-General in Aug. 1963 (U.N. doc. A/5562).

25

The President of the U.N. General Assembly, in pursuance of this paragraph of the resolution, appointed the Ad Hoc Committee to consist of representatives of Afghanistan, Costa Rica, Nepal, Nigeria, and Senegal.

Doc. VII-23

PAKISTAN

[NOTE: See also post, docs. IX-48–54.]

[UNITED STATES EXPRESSION OF "GREAT PLEASURE” WITH THE AGREEMENT ON RESUMPTION OF DIPLOMATIC, CONSULAR, AND TRADE RELATIONS BETWEEN AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN: Statement Made by the Secretary of State (Rusk) at a News Conference, May 29, 1963Ante, doc. VII-19]

SAUDI ARABIA

[NOTE: See post, docs. VII-25–39, under the subsection entitled, "Yemen."]

SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC

[NOTE: See also ante, docs. VII-9–11.]

VII-24

UNITED STATES RECOGNITION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC, EFFECTIVE MARCH 12, 1963: Announcement Issued by the Department of State, March 12, 1963 26

The United States Government, taking note of the affirmation by the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic of its intention to honor its international obligations, has today [March 12] decided to recognize the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic and has instructed its Chargé d'Affaires in Damascus to confirm this decision in writing to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Syrian Arab Republic.

With its recognition the United States extends its best wishes for success and prosperity of the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic and its hopes that the traditional ties of friendship between the American and Syrian peoples will be expanded and strengthened.

It is expected that Ambassador [Ridgway B.] Knight, who is in the United States on consultation, will return to his post after a short leave.

26

Department of State press release No. 125 (text as printed in the Department of State Bulletin, Apr. 1, 1963, p. 476). Lt. Gen. Louai Attassi led a coup d'état which overthrew the Government of Premier Khaled el-Azm, Mar. 8, 1963.

UNITED ARAB REPUBLIC

[NOTE: See ante, docs. VII-8-9 and post, docs. VII-25-39, under the subsection entitled, "Yemen."]

YEMEN

VII-25

UNITED STATES CALL FOR "DISENGAGEMENT OF FOREIGN MILITARY FORCES AND TERMINATION OF THIS EXTERNAL INTERVENTION" IN YEMEN: Statement Read to Correspondents by the Director of the Office of News (White), Department of State, January 3, 1963 27

The Department has been informed that in pursuit of operations in the north of Yemen, on behalf of the Yemen Arab Republic, aircraft operated by pilots of the United Arab Republic bombed and strafed the Oasis of Najran, in Saudi Arabia, between December 30 and January 1.

In deploring these incidents, which threaten to expand the Yemen conflict, the United States Government has expressed its concern to the Government of the United Arab Republic. The United Arab Republic has given its assurances that it does not order incursions across the Yemen border and that it will do its best to avoid a repetition of these attacks across the border.

The United States enjoys cordial and close relations with the Government of Saudi Arabia and has made known its interest in the preservation of its integrity, 28 as well as that of other states of the

area.

In noting these incidents and other measures representing external support for military action within Yemen, the United States, as an impartial friend of all governments involved, remains convinced that the best interests of the Yemeni people will be served by disengagement of foreign military forces and termination of this external intervention.

VII-26

UNITED STATES SUPPORT FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF SAUDI ARABIA'S INTEGRITY: Letter From the President of the United States (Kennedy) to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia (Faysal), October 25, 1962, Made Public January 8, 1963 29

27 Department of State Bulletin, Jan. 21, 1963, pp. 90-91.

"Text in American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1962, p. 783.