Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XII, Western Europe

212. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Spain¹

Washington, August 22, 1968, 1645Z.

225515. Ref: Madrid 4813.² Subject: Spanish Base Negotiations.

1. Senior Interdepartmental Group (SIG) will discuss negotiating position Spanish bases September 5. After consideration we must seek White House concurrence on agreed inter-agency position to enable Secretary to discuss terms with Castiella. To accomplish this, earliest meeting date would be September 16.

2. We foresee no difficulties with arrival of legal mission to discuss technical agreement September 3 or 4 and believe that it would be mutually advantageous to start legal talks on basis of existing proposals and counter-proposals. We see no need at this point to send a written U.S. response to latest Spanish counter proposals.

3. We believe that no useful purpose could be achieved by further meetings with a Spanish military mission until Secretary has had chance to present to Castiella the dimensions of the hardware package which the U.S. would be prepared to agree to following SIG consideration, Congressional consultation, and approval by the President. Only after GOS agrees in principle to amount offered could there be a fruitful discussion of detailed contents of package with Spanish military group. (FYI. We are considering separate grant and credit sales package. Detailed discussions with Spanish military may take considerable time, but could be accomplished after basic exchange of letters, which would state only value of grant and credit package subject to availability of funds.)

Rusk

1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967-69, DEF 15-4 SP-US. Confidential; Priority. Drafted by Landau; cleared by EUR, G/PM, and the Department of Defense; and approved by Rusk.
2. Telegram 4813 from Madrid, August 19, forwarded Castiella’s request for a September 9 meeting with Rusk. (Ibid., POL 7 SP)