SAUDI VIEWS ON IMPENDING DEFEAT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF SOUTH VIETNAM AND EFFECT ON U.S./SAUDI RELATIONS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-252-12-2-6
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 14
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: June 2, 2010
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: April 11, 1975
• Content Type: CABLE

No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/06/02: LOC-HAK-252-12-2-6
F8 IS 103 (SEE 86)
PERES: VIETNAM SHOWS ISRAEL RIGHT TO REJECT EGYPT
LONDON REUTER IN ENGLISH 114 1 GMT 12 APR 74 WA
(TEXT) TEL AVIV, APR IL 12, REUTER--I SRAEL I DEFENSE MINISTER
SHIMON PERES SA ID TODAY THE COLLAPSE OF AMERICAN GUARANTEES
TO SOUTH VIETNAM PROVED ISRAEL WAS RIGHT TO MAKE NO FURTHER
CONCESSIONS TO EGYPT DURING THE ABORTIVE KISSINGER PEACE MISSION
IN AN EVIDENT REFERENCE TO REPORTED SECRET U.S. PROMISES
OF AID TO THE SAIGON GOVERNMENT, THE DEFENSE MINISTER SAID IN
A RADIO INTERVIEW, " IN A WORLD GOING UP IN FLAMES, WITH
GUARANTEES TOPPLING LIKE SO MANY STACKS OF CARDS... I AM
CONVINCED THAT OUR DECISION WAS THE RIGHT ONE."
MR. PERES TOLD HIS INTERVIEWER ON THE ARMED FORCES RADIO
THAT THIS WAS A TIME OF CRISIS IN ISRAELI-AMERICAN RELATIONS.
"THERE ; NO POINT IN DENYING THIS. IN SPITE OF THIS, I AM
CONVINCED THIS IS A PASSING CRISIS," HE SAID.
ALTHOUGH SMALL NAT IONS WERE SUBJECT TO PRESSURES FROM BIG
POWERS, THE VALIDITY OF AGREEMENTS MADE BY THESE BIG POWERS WAS
LIMITED, HE SAID, THE VIET CONG HAD VIOLATED AN AGREEMENT
SIGNED LESS THAN TWO YEARS AGO WITH THE UNITED STATES.
HE FEARED THAT IF ISRAEL HAD GIVEN IN TO EGYPT IAN TERMS ? FOR
MAJOR W IT HDRAWAL S IN SINAI EGYPT WOULD THEN HAVE PRESSED FOR A
FURTHER PULLBACK AND "WE WOULD HAVE FOUND OURSELVES IN A
HEADLONG GALLOP."
HE SAID HE VIEWED THE DRYING-UP OF AMERICAN MILITARY AID TO
ISRAEL AS ONLY A REMOTE POSSIBILITY. AMERICAN LEADERS HAD
STATED THEIR COMMITMENT TO ISRAEL 'S SECURITY.
THE REAL QUEST ION WAS WHETHER AMERICA WANTED TO TURN ITS
BACK ON THE WORLD?AND THAT WAS A POSSIBILITY. BUT IF IT DID
SO, THE SOVIET UNION WOULD FILL THE GAP, MR PERES WARNED.
"I WOULD FIND. IT VERY HARD TO BELIEVE THAT AMERICA HAS GIVEN
A DIVORCE TO THE WHOLE WORLD TO CONCENTRATE ONLY ON ITS OWN
AFFAIRS," HE SAID. .
12 APR 1657Z JT C/CH
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