Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XXI, Near East Region; Arabian Peninsula

198. Telegram From the Embassy in Belgium to the Department of State¹

Brussels, June 7, 1968, 1643Z.

7128. Dept pass Cairo.² Subject: RepIr: Resumption of US-Iraqi relations. Ref: Department’s CA-8354.³

1. Contents of Refair passed to Belgian Foreign Office (Callebaut) Wednesday, June 5. Foreign Office told us they would pass substance to Ambassador Dupret immediately and that we could expect a reply shortly.

2. Callebaut commented that requirements as listed in Refair would probably be unacceptable to Iraqis. Specifically he believed Iraqis would not be able to rescind entirely general boycott on US goods and services, even though they now recognize they committed mistake in breaking relations and want to restore them.

Knight

1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967-69, POL 17 IRAQ-US. Confidential. Repeated to Beirut, London, and Tehran.
2. A note on the telegram indicates it was not passed to Cairo by OC/T.
3. Circular airgram CA-8354 to Brussels, May 29, stated that if the Iraqi Government raised questions as to the U.S. position on resumption of U.S.-Iraqi diplomatic relations, Ambassador Dupret could indicate that the United States was prepared to resume relations whenever the Iraqi Government signified that it had a genuine interest in so doing. The only U.S. requirements would be that Iraq agree to compensate the U.S. Government for damages to its Consulate in Basra and Embassy in Baghdad, that the United States have unimpeded access to U.S. properties in Iraq, and that the Iraqi boycott of U.S. goods and services and ban on U.S. overflights be rescinded. (National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967-69, POL IRAQ-US)