711.56373/12–1354
The Secretary of State to the Secretary of Defense (Wilson)1
Dear Mr. Secretary: I am pleased to inform you that negotiations for a military base rights agreement with Libya have been concluded and that such an agreement, together with an agreement on United States economic aid to Libya, was signed at Benghazi on September 9, 1954. Following approval by the Libyan Parliament and ratification by the King, the base rights agreement became effective at 12:00 noon October 30, 1954, which was the time and date when our Embassy received formal notice of ratification from the Libyan Government. I enclose herewith copies of the base rights and economic aid agreements. Signed originals of these agreements will remain on file in the Department of State.
I wish to call your attention to the fact that the base rights agreement proper and a memorandum of understanding regarding certain provisions of the agreement are unclassified and that in due course they will be published in the Treaty and Other International Acts Series of the Department of State and submitted to the United Nations for registration.2 Other memoranda of understanding, as indicated, and the annexes listing the areas required will for the time being remain Secret.
I should like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation for the excellent assistance and cooperation that we received at all times from civilian and military officers of the Department of Defense during the difficult and protracted period of negotiation. This assistance was of material help in reaching what I believe to be a highly satisfactory agreement.
Sincerely yours,
- The source text was attached to a memorandum by Jernegan to the Secretary of State, dated Dec. 9. The memorandum stated that the letter was intended to complete the exchange of communications that began with the request of the Department of Defense in 1951 that the Department of State negotiate the Base Agreement with the Libyan Government. (711.56373/12–954) Also attached to the letter were copies of the English and Arabic texts of the Base Agreement and the Economic Aid Agreement of Sept. 9, together with a copy of the Oct. 30 letter of notification of ratification by the Libyan Government, and the United States reply.↩
- See the first editorial note, p. 597.↩