CABLE TO AMCONSUL JERUSALEM FROM THE SITUATION ROOM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-260-1-48-9
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: December 7, 2009
• Sequence Number: 48
• Publication Date: May 16, 1974
• Content Type: CABLE

No Objection to Declassification in Part 2009/12/07: LOC-HAK-260-1-48-9
*** S E C R E r *******S copy
*2573 1360311
Z 160223Z'_ MAY 14- ZFF-I ZFF-4 ZYH
FM THE SITUATION ROOM
TO AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
S E C R E T NODIS EYES-ONLY
WH41349
TOHAK'205
PLEASE DELIVER TO BREMER/RODMAN FOR THE SECRETARY
FROM: BILL HYLAND
3. REFORE:YOUR DEPARTURE FOR. DAMASCUS, WE OFFER FOR WHAT
IT'S WORTH FOLLOWING.S'ECVLATI?N FROM WASHINGTON
VANTAGE POINT'ON STATUS OF NEGOTIATIONS IN WAKE OF MA'ALOT
INCIDENT.
2. IT.SEEMS'TD.US AS*D HAS BEEN PURSUING A SHREWD NE-
GOTIATING STRATEGY BY ESCHEWING OUTRAGEOUS tEMANDS THUS'
PROJECTING-IMAGE OF FLEXIBILITY IN EYES OF RESPONSIBLE
ARAB$ LIKE FAYSAL, WITH ASAP ASKING ' AT' THIS::STAGE FOR ISRAEL TO GIVE UP VERY LITTLE OF THE TERRITORY IT TOOK IN 1961
AND NONE 'OF ITS SETTIEMENTS, HE HAS.NARROWEO THE ISSUE
DOWN TO ISRAELI CESSION OF TWO SEEMINGLY MINOR HILLS, AND
THOSE NOT TO SYRIA BUT''TO UN', IF NEGOTIATIONS BREAK DOWN
ON THIS ISSUE, ASAD WILL BE IN VERY STRONG POSITION TO SAD-
DLE ISRAEL WITH ONUS OF FAILURE AND TO CONVENE SUMMIT IN
WHICH ALL PARTICIPANTS WOULD BE FORCED TO RALLY BEHIND
SYRIAN POSITION. EVEN SADAT WOULD BE HARD PRESSED TO
BLOCK SUCH .A TREND, WHATEVER HIS PERSONAL INCLINATIONS.
MORI/CDF
C03345586
ON-FILE NSC RELEASE
INSTRUCTIONS APPLY
3'. THIS IS NOT.TO SAY THATASAD IS EAGER TO TAKE!THIS
COURSE, HE MUST RECOGNIZE THAT BREAKDOWN OFyGOLAN
NEGOTIATIONS SHARPLY INCREASES RISK OF FULL-SCALE
HOSTILITIES, EITHER By SYRIAN ESCALATION UNDER, PRESSURE
FROM RADICAL SYRIAN AND PALESTINIAN FORCES, OR BY
ISRAELI PREEMPTION AGAINST CONTINUING SYRIAN BUILDUP OF NEW
* * * * :* * *: * , * * * * * *WHSR COMMENT * * * *