Meetings: Tape 88. Arms Limitation/Israel, 17 May 1963

Sound recording of a meeting most likely held on May 17, 1963, between President John F. Kennedy, Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs Philips Talbot, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs James P. Grant, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs McGeorge Bundy, and member of the National Security Council Robert W. Komer. They discuss the Middle East, specifically the hope that an arms limitation agreement can be coordinated for that area of the world. Israel had wanted the United States to sign a security guarantee with them as a step towards the arms limitation agreement, but the Kennedy Administration is cautious about making any moves which will seem to align the United States with one side or the other and then alienate the Arabs or Israel. There was considerable finger-pointing between the United Arab Republic and Israel over each country possibly creating nuclear weapons. The goal of the United States is an arms limitation agreement with inspections, and this meeting provides an overview of the steps the Kennedy Administration wants to take to aid in the peace of the region. Eight segments of the recording totaling 5 minutes and 10 seconds have been removed in accordance with Section 3.4 (b) (1), (3) of Executive Order 12958. Please note that this meeting does not seem to be a continuation of the last meeting on tape 87, which covers the same subject. From the paperwork, this meeting on Tape 88 seems to be the 5:00 p.m. meeting that occurred on the same day (May 17, 1963). This sound recording has been excerpted from Tape 88, which contains additional sound recording(s) following this one. See Related Records to access Tape 88 in its entirety.