Foreign Relations of the United States, 1950, The Near East, South Asia, and Africa, Volume V

357.AG/4–650: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom ¹

secret
priority

Washington, April 6, 1950—6 p. m.

1554. Question proposed strategic agreements between US, UK, Fr and Libya raised Lidel 6² (rptd London 121 from Geneva) as outlined by Pelt para 3 urtel 1774³ and para 6 H urtel 1783⁴ shld be discussed with Fon Office. US desires make its arrangements for use strategic facilities directly with Libyan Govt, or perhaps with Brit if their defense agreement shld include Tripolitania. Pelt’s conception that US, UK and Fr defense arrangements wld form integral part Libyan constitutional arrangements which Natl Assembly wld draw up is in our view dangerous idea which we strongly hope FonOff will eliminate from any formal understanding with Pelt agreed to by UK.

Dept has studied with interest various compromise formulae suggested by both FonOff and Pelt re Brit plans for Cyrenaica (urtel 1783) and which will be discussed by them in London Apr 7. Except for pt mentioned above para re strategic arrangements, US does not want express opinion on details any formula so far proposed. We hope, however, that Pelt will find it possible come some working agreement with FonOff at this time. Our only comment is that it probably premature to try agree now on nature final doc which wld emerge from deliberations Libyan Natl Assembly and negots with three powers as contemplated para 6 H urtel 1783 Apr 1 and we are particularly dubious about trying negot single treaty between Libyan state and US, UK and Fr. We agree with Pelt, however, that GA wld have no legal basis under GA res to discuss defense arrangements and consider this question shld be avoided altogether.

Acheson

1. Repeated to Geneva, Paris, Rome, Cairo, and Tripoli.
2. Not printed.
3. Not printed; it reported that Pelt felt U.S., British, and French defense arrangements should form an integral part of the Libyan constitutional arrangements which the National Assembly would draw up (773.00/3–3150).
4. Not printed; it reported Pelt’s proposal for a constitutional arrangement embracing the following: recognition of Libyan independence, transfer of powers to the new Libyan state, settlement of defense arrangements, settlement of the Italian problem, and the assumption by Libya of international obligations. All these points would be embodied in a single instrument in the form of a treaty between Libya and the United States, United Kingdom, and France. (773.00/4–150)