890F.248/5–2445
The Department of State to the British Embassy
Memorandum
Reference is made to the British Embassy’s aide-mémoire of May 24, 1945,50 stating that the Foreign Office desires to be acquainted with the terms of the request of the American Minister at Jidda to the Saudi Arabian Government for the right to construct a United States military air base at Dhahran.
The following is the substance of a communication on this subject addressed by the American Minister at Jidda to King Ibn Saud:51
[Page 923]The construction of an airfield at Dhahran on the Great Circle route from Cairo to Karachi is considered by the United States to be an immediate military necessity as well as being of great value to Saudi Arabia. It is desired, therefore, that landing strips and necessary buildings and installations be constructed there.
In addition to the construction, the United States feels it will be necessary to maintain and occupy this airfield and the related facilities for a term of years after the conclusion of the present war. In this connection, flying rights over Saudi Arabia are needed, along with permission for American military forces to locate, construct, maintain and remove necessary navigational aids, also one emergency field in central Saudi Arabia.
It is hoped that American civil airlines will be permitted to operate on the Dhahran airfield and to construct there such facilities as they may reasonably require.
Such airlines would need transit rights in Saudi Arabia plus commercial entry at Dhahran, and these rights and entry should continue on a nondiscriminatory basis as long as any commercial air services operate in or through Saudi Arabia.
More detailed provisions regarding American commercial air transport services may be the subject of a subsequent agreement.
The United States War Department is prepared to make available to Saudi Arabia a military mission to train Saudi Arab pilots and ground crews, and to afford additional instructional services. The War Department is also prepared to improve the road between Dhahran and Riyadh.