FOL 6 US/Kennedy, STATES Department of State Robert F. TELEGRAM UNCLASSIFIED 667 PAGE 01 062353Z Bert Claps & Claps e Claps f Claps o Claps F. 81 ACTION SS 20 INFO CPR 011H 011A1 AF 06/AF 06/ARA 08/EA 06/EUR 08/NEA 06/RSC 01/RSR 011. FILE 01/SSO 09/03 03/09/63 W P 06205552 JUN 68 ZEO ZFP FM JC5 TO AMILIACT 6/66/65 6/65 UNCLAS AMILACT 8/64 1884 J-3 SENDS SUBJECT, PRESIDENTIAL PROCRAMMATION AND STATEMENT SUBJECTS, PRESIDENTial PROCRAMATION AND Io THE FOLLOWING IS THE PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION CONCERNING THE DEATH OF SENATOR ROBERT CONKENNEDY SENATURAL OF KENNEDIA UNITED STATES: A NOBLE AND COMPASSIONATE LEADER, A GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT OF THE PEOPLE, IN THE FULL VIGOR OF HIS PROMISE, LIES DEAD FROM AND VIGORY OF HIS PROVISION, LIEES DEAD FROM THE TRAGEDY AND THE SENSELESS VIOLENCE OF ROBERT F. KENNedy'S DEATH CAST A DEEP SHADOW OF GRIEF ACROSS AMERICA AND ACROSES THE WORLD. PAGE 2 RUEOJFA 00 0098 UNCLAS THIS IS A MOMENT FOR ALL AMERICANS TO JOIN HANDS AND WALK TOGETHER THROUGH THIS DARK NIGHT OF CITY. NIGHT OFF THE UNITED STATES, ANGUISH INTO A NEW DAWN OF NOW, THEREFORE, I' LYNDON B. JOHNSON, PRESI- DENT OF THE UNITED STATES, DO CALL UPON ALL AMERICANS to OBSERVE SUNDAY NEXT, THE NORTH AMERICAN'S TO OBSERE SUNDAY AT THE MORNINTH IN HIS MEMORY THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES. IN OUR CHURCHES, IN OUR HOMES, AND IN OUR HEARTS LET US RESOLVE BEFORE GOD AND BEFORE HEARSTS LET US RESPOSE BEFORE GOD and BEFORE EACH OTHER THAT THE PURPOSE OF PROGRESS AND UNCLASSIFIED

Summary  
The documents detail diplomatic communications and internal U.S. government records related to the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy on June 5, 1968, during a campaign stop in Los Angeles. They include telegrams from U.S. embassies and consulates abroad describing international reactions, including condolences from foreign leaders (e.g., Jordan’s King Hussein, Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie, Libyan Prime Minister Bakubas), media coverage in Arab and African countries, and U.S. State Department directives on handling public information and security measures. Internal documents identify Sirhan Bishara Sirhan as the suspect, noting his Jordanian birth, U.S. residency, visa records, and family ties. The assassination prompted national mourning declared by President Lyndon B. Johnson, with flags flown at half-staff. Diplomatic discussions also addressed potential political implications of the event, including speculation about civil unrest in the U.S. and its impact on international relations.  

Key People  
- **Robert F. Kennedy**: U.S. Senator assassinated during a campaign stop in Los Angeles on June 5, 1968.  
- **Sirhan Bishara Sirhan**: Identified as the suspect; born in Jordan, entered the U.S. via New York in 1957, with visa records and family ties noted.  
- **Lyndon B. Johnson**: U.S. President who issued a proclamation declaring national mourning for RFK’s death.  
- **Abdul Hamid Sharaf**: Jordanian Ambassador to the U.S., conveyed King Hussein’s condolences via written message.  
- **King Hussein**: Jordan’s monarch, expressed grief over RFK’s assassination.  
- **Haile Selassie**: Ethiopian Emperor, condemned the violence and expressed sympathy for Kennedy’s family.  
- **Bakubas**: Libyan Prime Minister, issued statements of condolence.  
- **Yuri Lenkov**: Second Secretary at the Soviet Embassy in Washington, D.C., discussed RFK’s assassination and U.S.-Indonesian relations during a diplomatic meeting.  
- **Robert G. Rich, Jr.**: U.S. Department of State official who participated in discussions with Lenkov.  

Key Locations  
- **Los Angeles, California**: Site of RFK’s assassination on June 5, 1968.  
- **Washington, D.C.**: Headquarters of the U.S. Department of State and location of diplomatic meetings (e.g., La Provencal Restaurant).  
- **Tokyo, Japan**: U.S. Embassy reported public reaction, including comparisons to JFK’s assassination and MLK Jr.’s murder.  
- **Amman, Jordan**: Jordanian embassy discussed suspect identification and condolences.  
- **Tripoli, Libya**: Media coverage and political reactions noted in diplomatic reports.  
- **Addis Ababa, Ethiopia**: Emperor Haile Selassie’s statement on the assassination.  
- **Vienna, Austria**: Austrian Chancellor Klaus expressed condemnation of the violence.  
- **Cape Town, South Africa**: U.S. Embassy reported statements from South African officials.  

Key Events  
- **June 5, 1968**: Assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy during a campaign stop in Los Angeles.  
- **National Mourning Declaration**: President Lyndon B. Johnson issued a proclamation directing flags to fly at half-staff.  
- **International Condolences**: Foreign leaders (e.g., Jordan’s King Hussein, Ethiopia’s Haile Selassie, Libya’s Bakubas) expressed grief and condemnation of the violence.  
- **Suspect Identification**: U.S. State Department documents confirmed Sirhan Bishara Sirhan as the suspect, including his birth details, visa records, and family connections.  
- **Diplomatic Discussions**: Meetings between U.S. officials and foreign diplomats (e.g., Yuri Lenkov) addressed potential political fallout from the assassination, including speculation about civil unrest in the U.S.  
- **Media Coverage**: Arab and African media outlets analyzed the assassination’s implications for American society, while Japanese media compared it to past tragedies (e.g., JFK’s assassination, MLK Jr.’s murder).  

Key Organizations  
- **U.S. Department of State**: Issued directives on handling public information, security measures, and coordination with foreign embassies.  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Mentioned in context of investigations into the assassination.  
- **Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)**: Referenced in discussions about international reactions and political implications.  
- **National Security Agency (NSA)**: Noted in diplomatic contexts, though not directly tied to the assassination investigation.  
- **U.S. Information Agency (USIA)**: Involved in managing media coverage and public information dissemination.  
- **Foreign Embassies/Consulates**: Including Jordan, Ethiopia, Libya, South Africa, Austria, Japan, and Chile, reported on international reactions and diplomatic responses.

RFK Declassified Files

pol_6_us_kennedy_01_01_1967_senator_robert_f._kennedy-part_7_of_8.pdf

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