361. Editorial Note
President Eisenhower announced on November 4 that he intended to visit Italy, Turkey, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Iran, Greece, France, and Morocco in December. For text of his statement, see Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1959, page 766. A week later, the White House added Spain and Tunisia to the President’s itinerary; for text of this November 11 announcement, see Department of State Bulletin, December 7, 1959, page 823.
Immediately prior to leaving Washington on December 3, Eisenhower delivered a radio and television address outlining the purposes and goals of his journey. For text, see Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1959, pages 795–799. On the morning of December 22, the President and his party breakfasted with Spanish Head of State Franco and three other Spanish officials. The subject of Morocco rose in the conversation that followed; Franco encouraged the United States to retain its bases there and elsewhere in North Africa. A memorandum of this conversation, US/MC/26, is in Washington National Records Center, RG 59, Conference Files: FRC 83–0068, CF 1527.
Eisenhower and his party arrived a Nouasseur Air Force Base, Casablanca, at 11:19 a.m. and were greeted by King Mohamed V, Crown Prince Moulay Hassan, Prime Minister Ibrahim, the Moroccan Cabinet, members of the diplomatic corps, and Ambassador Yost. They proceeded to the King’s palace in Casablanca, where they attended a luncheon given in the President’s honor. For texts of Eisenhower’s arrival statement and his remarks at the luncheon, see Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1959, pages 876–877. After the luncheon, Eisenhower met with the King; see infra. For text of the joint communiqué issued at Casablanca after the meeting, see American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1959, pages 1107–1108.
[Page 796]The President and his party left Casablanca at 6:07 p.m. Further documentation on Eisenhower’s visit is in Department of State, Central File 711.11–EI, and Washington National Records Center, RG 59, Conference Files: FRC 83–0068, CF 1544.