711.56386A/11–1750
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Saudi Arabia (Hare)
No. 19
Sir: The Secretary of State transmits for your attention the approved draft of the proposed long term Dhahran Air Field Agreement1 for negotiation with the Saudi Arabian Government. Although the proposed agreement is essentially for military purposes, the importance of the civilian aspects of the Dhahran Air Field are obvious, and it is accordingly suggested that you may wish to invite the Civilian Air Attaché resident at Cairo to assist you in these negotiations. Yon are hereby authorized to initiate negotiations at a time to be decided in agreement with the Saudi Arabian Government.
An effort has been made to stress the idea of partnership and mutuality of interest in the utilization of the Dhahran Air Field and toward this end a preamble has been drafted to set the tone for the agreement generally. Every opportunity is made in subsequent articles to stress the joint aspect or to emphasize that derivation of our rights and privileges at the Air Field is by specific agreement with the Saudi Arabian Government. To the greatest extent possible the terms of the existing agreement have been preserved. Modifications have been made for the most part only in those instances where long term interests require changes. Every effort has been made throughout, however, to maintain brevity and clarity in keeping with the expressed wishes of the Saudi Arabian Government.
[Here follows an explanation of the various articles of the draft and a comparison with the terms of the existing agreement.]
Director Office of Near Eastern Affairs
- Not printed (711.56386A/11–1750). Further details on the negotiations and terms of the treaty are scheduled for publication in a forthcoming volume of Foreign Relations.↩