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2222Z 04 June 1967 transmitted message text from
Chief of Naval Information to
Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and
Commander, Sixth Fleet and others

P 042222Z JUN 67
FM CHINFO
TO CINCUSNAVEUR
COMSIXTHFLT
COMMIDEASTFOR
CINCLANTFLT
CTG 60.1
CTG 60.2
CTF 61
CTF 62
CTF 63
BT
UNCLAS
SIXTH FLEET HEADLINE REPORT 4 JUN 67
1. THE WASHINGTON SUNDAY STAR REPORTS THAT THE BREATHING SPACE IN THE
MIDDLE EAST CRISIS APPEARS TO BE ENDING FOLLOWING YESTERDAY'S UN
SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING WHERE THE ISRAELI AMBASSADOR SAID THAT ISRAEL
IS DETERMINED TO MAKE ITS STAND ON THE GULF OF AQABA. THE STORY REPORTS
THAT THE US AND BRITAIN ARE STILL PERFECTING THEIR STRATEGY FOR TEST-
ING NASSER'S BLOCKADE OF THE PORT THROUGH WHICH 90 PER CENT OF ISRAEL'S
OIL COMES. ANOTHER STORY REPORTS THAT NASSER HAS RULED OUT WAR NOW UN-
LESS TRIGGERED BY A FOOLISH ACT BY ISRAEL.
2. A STORY IN THE BALTIMORE SUN SAYS THAT EGYPT HAS REJECTED THE US -
BRITISH PROPOSAL, DESIGNED TO BREAK THE BLOCKADE, DECLARING THAT NO
NATION OR GROUP OF NATIONS HAS THE RIGHT TO LEGISLATE FOR A SOVEREIGN
COUNTRY OR THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. PRESIDENT JOHNSON IN A SPEECH
SAID THE US IS DETERMINED TO PRESERVE THE PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST
AND PRESERVE THE TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF NATIONS IN THAT AREA.
3. THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE COMMENTED IN A WIRE STORY ON THE THREE SOVIET
DESTROYERS, ONE EQUIPPED WITH MISSILES, STEAMING INTO THE MED TO JOIN
ONE ALREADY THERE. SIX MORE RUSSIAN WARSHIPS, ACCORDING TO THE STORY,
ARE TO PASS THROUGH THE BOSPORUS UNDER PERMISSION GRANTED BY TURKEY.
MANY PAPERS CARRIED PICTURES OF THE RUSSIAN DESTROYERS, AND ALSO OF
USS DYESS ENTERING THE SUEZ CANAL AT PORT SAID.
4. ACCORDING TO A WASHINGTON POST STAFF WEITER, US OFFICIALS HALF
CONCEDED FOR THE FIRST TIME YESTERDAY THAT EGYPT MAY HAVE FIRED AT A
VESSEL TESTING THE BLOCKADE. OFFICIAL AMERICAN POSITION REMAINS THAT
BLOCKADE IS DE FACTO BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN NO PUBLIC TESTS.
5. A CONFRONTATION IN THE UN YESTERDAY PITTED THE SOVIET AND AMERICAN
AMBASSADORS. FEDORENKO REMINDED GOLDBERG THAT US HAD BLOCKADED CUBA
DURING MISSILE CRISIS. SECURITY COUNCIL WAS DEBATING THE RIGHT OF
INNOCENT PASSAGE IN AQABA GULF, AND GOLDBERG ASSERTED THAT SOVIET ATTEMPT
TO PRODUCE NUCLEAR CONFRONTATION IN CUBA COULD HARDLY BE DESCRIBED AS
INNOCENT.
BT

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